


A Curious Turn of Events

by Katlou303



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU-ception, Akatsuki - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, An AU of an AU, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Mentor/Protégé, Sakura is part of Akatsuki, Swearing, What-If, a sequel of sorts, the storyline diverges from chapter 8 of ACKA onwards, though not evil or anti-Konoha, to A Curious Kind of Atonement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:27:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 62,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2186499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlou303/pseuds/Katlou303
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU fic splintering off from A Curious Kind of Atonement. Itachi gave Sakura a choice when she was twelve years old. She did not take it. But what if she did? What would change? It turns out... Everything. ItaSaku. Rated for swearing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"When Raban said you were in a warzone… do you know how worried I was? And I couldn't even come to your aid, couldn't set foot in that arena… I don't think I could live without knowing you were safe." He admitted.

His hand twitched into movement, but before he could complete the action, Raban cawed loudly from overhead, startling Sakura into moving backwards.

Her sensei hardly ever seemed to show emotion but now, in the gloom of the night and the crow's caws echoing throughout the street, his eyes flickered shut and his lips thinned.

"I just think you could be so much more," He said, the barest hint of frustration in his voice. He gestured with his hand at the village they stood in, the Hokages of the past staring down at them with carved stern eyes, "If you come with me, I will train you thoroughly. Your taijutsu will be flawless, your genjutsu without error. I have never offered another such an opportunity. You would be my companion, you would not have to die a tool."

"This is what I've always wanted to do, sensei. Be a shinobi."

"To follow Sasuke." He said quietly.

"At first, yeah," Sakura looked away, embarrassed, "But now I just want to make my family proud and be useful for my village. Leaving… leaving would change all of that."

"Are you really valued?" He suddenly put his hands on her shoulders, his eyes narrowed, "Do they see your worth, your potential? You told me that your sensei, Kakashi, does not train you as he does the others. That you felt neglected. You would be my only pupil. I would train you alone."

"My mother and –"

"Write them a letter, explain you have left of your own accord. Do not mention me. They will understand your leaving if you explain why."

"Team Seven," Sakura said firmly, looking stern, "I managed to become a genin and I have teammates –"

"Who will one day leave you behind. Genin teams don't last long. I don't mean to be hurtful, but the way this Kakashi-san neglects your training and favours the others will injure your progress as a ninja if you stay."

"Could I ever come back?" Sakura asked, hesitantly poking at a sore point.

Her sensei closed his eyes, "Perhaps. You would be questioned thoroughly, but if I train you… Yes, I imagine one day you could return."

"Stronger." Sakura mused, scraping the ground with her sandal and thinking hard. She imagined returning to Konoha with long hair, a bunch of cool techniques and mysterious sensei.

"Give me a day," She said, "I want a chance to say goodbye to everyone."

Her sensei gave her a rare smile, "I think that is the least I can do for you."

xxxxxxxx

"Um, Sasuke-kun," Sakura began her goodbyes the next day, hurrying to his side as he walked down the road, "I just wanted to let you know –"

"Can it wait?" Sasuke didn't even look at her, avoiding the people walking by with his smooth, innate grace.

The wind had a chilly bite to it that made her shiver before replying.

"Not really. Before I tell you that, um, could you tell me… am I good shinobi?"

Sasuke glanced at her, raising an eyebrow, "No. You don't train enough. You don't care enough. You spend too much time on your appearance and trying to get my attention. At this rate… you're worse than Naruto."

No hesitation. He didn't have to think about it for a second.

Sakura stopped walking for a second, her shock making her stumble, "Oh. I get it. Thanks, Sasuke-kun. I'm going to work much harder from now on. I'm going to be a better shinobi."

He kept walking, ignoring her words as though they meant nothing to him. Perhaps they didn't.

"You'll see." She muttered, eyes on his retreating back.

xxxxxxxx

Kakashi was easy to find, in his own apartment for once. He'd opened the door and, upon seeing her, waiting a beat before letting her in, clearly intrigued by her rare visit.

"So, what's the occasion?" He asked, casually splaying a hand over a book's spine in his bookcase.

"If you're trying to hide the title of one of your special novels, don't bother, you've already read them all in front of me." Sakura said disapprovingly.

Kakashi gave an awkward laugh, "Aha, um, not all of them."

"I came to ask you something. Why don't you teach me?"

He looked up at the ceiling, leaning against the bookcase. His flat was small and bare of character, save for the trashy, colourful novels displayed so prominently everywhere. He obviously never cleaned, a thick layer of dust covered the room they stood in. She spotted a picture of Team Seven and felt her stomach constrict in guilt.

"I had been informed I was, in fact, your sensei." Kakashi said carefully.

"Yeah, so have I," Sakura said, far more clumsily because she felt angry now and she didn't have Kakashi's years of experience at being a manipulative liar and being able to control her emotions like he so infuriatingly could, "My sensei. And it's funny because, I was so excited. So happy to finally be a genin, to have a team, a real proper sensei, to be able to learn something! But you haven't even tried to teach me! You make us wait hours for you to drag yourself out of bed so you can make us run laps or perform some equally useless task and I would be fine with that if you didn't insist on treating us differently! Sasuke is your real student, the only one you care about! Chidori, really? Special training for the chuunin exam? Where was my special training, when I was going into the Forest of Doom? Places where real ninja go to kill untrained ninja like me! I could have… I could have died! Naruto and Sasuke were helpless and I had to save them and I couldn't! Do you have any idea what that felt like –"

"Yes." Kakashi said simply, "I am intimately aware with the feeling of being helpless when people I care about need me. I know that feeling well."

"Then why didn't you prepare me?"

"I have trained you –"

"Not like Sasuke! Not even like Naruto! Maybe I don't have Sharingan or even as much chakra as Naruto, but I should not be ignored! You shouldn't favour them over me! It's not fair! Now, I'm going to get stronger on my own. That's a promise." She said, squaring her shoulders and holding her head up high.

"Sakura, I –"

"Goodbye Kakashi."

xxxxxxxx

Leaving was hard. Knowing she'd come back one day made it easier. She left a long, detailed note for her mother and grandma to find, hoping they would understand. She quit her job as a genin and left as soon as possible, before anyone could find out and the ramifications of her choice hit. She didn't properly say goodbye to anyone.

Her sensei met her at the border and took her hand.

xxxxxxxx

Sakura leapt up and delivered two kicks, stumbling onto the ground through the second. She landed hard on her knees and felt tears well in her eyes at her failure. She breathed in the earthy scent of the forest, felt the dirt beneath her stinging palms, and clenched her fists.

Her sensei was watching.

She sniffed hard and smiled at him, standing back up. She jumped in the air, spinning around and kicking out twice, landing on her feet roughly.

She flashed him a triumphant grin.

He waved a hand, "Again."

She faltered – Kakashi would have said something encouraging – then hardened. Kakashi wouldn't bother to train her at all. He'd be busy with the boys. Her real sensei was the only one who wanted her to succeed as much as she did.

She leapt into the air, blocking out all sounds of the forest, the chirp of insects and Raban's caw, and twisted into two sharp, clean kicks.

She hit the ground running, already breaking into a set of kicks, flowing neatly into one technique then another.

She turned to her sensei, beaming proudly, panting.

He nodded but then said, "Once more. Quicker this time."

Sakura bit her lip, about to complain, then swallowed her words. She was here to learn, not question.

She leapt into the air.

Her sensei's mouth twitched into a small, approving smile.

xxxxxxxx

"Sign your name." Her sensei said, spreading the scroll out completely onto the oak table and pointing to a bare space.

Sakura took a deep breath and bit down on her thumb, hard. It stung viciously, but her sensei was shaking his head.

"You'll need more than that for your whole name," He sighed, "Use a kunai."

Sakura recoiled, looking down at her kunai holster with trepidation. She'd never used one against herself before… except for when she cut her hair off. She gave a strained smile, feeling like she understood something now.

Being a shinobi wasn't what she had expected. She'd thought it was memorising hand seals and calculating trajectories of throwing shuriken, but really, it was pain, sore muscles and hard, hard work.

She wiped her thumb and pulled out a kunai. After she dithered a bit, wondering where to cut and how deep it should be, she passed it to her sensei sheepishly.

He shook his head, but took the kunai. He gestured for her to give him her arm. She stretched her left arm out slowly, childishly worried, and he pushed her sleeve up gently.

After a second of deliberation, he pressed his thumb against her arm suddenly just as the kunai slid across her arm, too quickly for her to realise it had happened.

She gasped, but what little pain she felt died quickly, and she examined the shallow little cut, feeling illogically put-out and tricked.

Writing her name in her own blood was gross, but the thought of having a crow summon of her own was cool enough to negate the unpleasantness of the situation.

Her sensei guided her hand to the right of the scroll, her fingertips red, and made her press down firmly.

"There," He said, "That will last even after your death."

xxxxxxxx

"Sensei! Sensei!" Sakura ran up to him, excited, "Look what I taught myself! I watched Kurenai-sensei and thought her jutsu was cool, so look!"

She held a kunai and gestured for him to attack her.

He obliged her and slowly made to punch her. A cloud of blossoms issued from the chakra pulsing out of her hand and kunai and blocked his strike.

"Oh!" She cried when he pulled his fist back sharply, examining it with a frown, "Did it sting? I didn't mean to –"

"Good." He said tonelessly, showing her the red welt on the back of his hand, "I want you to hone that technique. It is balanced, offensive yet defensive. Next time you show it to me, I want the petals to be capable of inflicting greater wounds."

A few weeks after that day, Sakura came to him, breathless with anticipation. She had made sure only to come to him after she perfected the new technique.

"OK, watch." She instructed him, aiming her hands at the training dummy he'd set up ages ago.

She concentrated her chakra into her hands and closed her eyes, shaping the chakra with her will.

Her eyes snapped open and the newly formed blossoms shot out in a brutal stream, smacking straight into the wooden dummy.

There was a loud crack, and the dummy broke in half.

Sakura rubbed her head bashfully, "Um, normally I can knock it over –"

Her sensei bent down next to the dummy and examined the splintered wood with a look of interest.

"Well done." He closed his eyes, pushing himself back up with perfect grace. He left the room without another word, leaving her utterly speechless.

xxxxxxxx

She lowered herself down to the ground again, eyes squeezed shut. Her arms shook violently as they took the strain of her body.

"Up." Her sensei said.

She gritted her teeth and pushed upwards, trying to keep her feet fixed in place.

"Down."

She lowered herself down once more. Her arms gave in and her face smacked off the ground painfully. She struggled back up into a sitting position, spitting dirt and blood.

She wiped her face, looking up at her sensei hopefully, giving him an apologetic shrug.

"Again." He said.

"Sensei, I'm tired and I think I'm bleeding…" She wiped her face again, wincing at the look on his face.

He didn't need to repeat himself. The coldness of his expression spoke for him.

She got back into the push-up position her sensei had taught her, the one designed for kunoichi.

"Up." He said. She could feel his eyes digging into her back. She straightened her spine until it felt like it was on the brink of splintering, and held the position.

He waited a little longer than usual then said, "down."

Her elbows shook with the strain once more and her muscles were shrieking indignantly as she lowered herself down, but she did it anyway.

"You are steadily improving." Her sensei said quietly, "Half a second more than your previous personal best."

"Half a second is nothing." A deep frown twisted Sakura's brow, her arms aching.

"Half a second is everything," Her sensei corrected her, "Keep improving at this pace and I will have to intensify your training."

Sakura nearly groaned but caught herself grinning. Her sensei took her training seriously, so seriously she worried about his priorities sometimes, but it made her feel important and now, with a satisfying pain in her arms and a spine like steel, like a real ninja.

"Thank you, sensei." She said, pushing herself up and holding the position without having to be asked.

He looked away, the edges of his mouth curling upwards, and brushed the thin strands of hair out of his eyes.

xxxxxxxx

"We've done this before," Sakura panted, flexing her sore muscles. They were surrounded by trees but when they had approached a smooth one with a wide trunk she had guessed his intention, "You know I can walk up trees."

"Run to the top branches." He said, pointing up to the sky.

Sakura craned her neck to look at the very peak of the tree. It practically touched the clouds above. She felt dizzy just contemplating being that high up.

But she wasn't supposed to give up anymore. She sighed feelingly and steadied herself, her sensei watching all the while.

She took off, running at the trunk, already pumping chakra to her feet, and latched onto the tree's surface instantly, sprinting directly upwards.

It was somehow like running down a hill, feeling the momentum gather around you, energy sparking off your feet and making you stumble – her chakra practically shoved her up the tree as she stomped up the trunk, not stopping until some branches got in her path. Her hand shot out and she pulled herself up into the air, flipping forwards onto a branch.

She looked down and choked, all of the air leaving her lungs in one gasp – she was dizzyingly high up, high enough that the air actually felt thinner and her sensei was a dark blur against the green of the grassy ground.

She looked up, fixing her chakra to glue her feet more firmly to the branch, and took in the sight before her.

The wood spread out as far as the eye could see, green leaves just turning golden in the late afternoon sunlight, the wind sending ripples through the treetops. The sky was vast and immense and somehow close yet far away, a shade of intense, beautiful blue. Suddenly feeling at ease with herself and her position, she raised her arms out wide and embraced the horizon.

Her sensei shouted something up. She strained her hearing as he repeated himself, come down now.

A flicker of panic broke her serenity and she nearly stumbled at the thought of somehow jumping down that far, remembering Naruto's massive failure at not nearly falling to his death.

She hopped down a few branches and slid, chakra automatically mapping to her fingertips, down the trunk until she froze in place, feeling her grip loosening against her will.

"Just let go," Her sensei said, his voice clearer now that she had descended further. She took a risk and looked down, seeing his mouth shape the words I'll catch you.

She took a deep breath and let go.

She didn't even have a second of falling, her stomach had no time to swoop in terror before her sensei's arms were around her and he was kicking off the tree and back down to the ground in precisely zero seconds.

He bent over, tucking his hand under the back of her knees to let her down gently, and said, "You alright?"

"No," She wriggled out of his arms, face aflame in embarrassment at her failure and their close proximity, "I am such a coward. I couldn't even climb down from a tree…"

"Not a coward," Her sensei shook his head, "It is sensible to know one's limits."

"You aren't just a normal shinobi, are you?" She asked, eyes narrowing. His face immediately cleared of all expression, the gentle, commiserating look gone. "Your speed is insane. I've studied records, you know, I've memorised the speeds of shinobi and I know exactly how fast you should be –"

"Sakura." His voice was flat and utterly devoid of emotion, "Stop."

She knew what he was saying. Stop digging before you hit something. He wasn't normal.

"Why did you tell me to let go? You clearly could have yanked me off the tree and had time to have nice cup of tea before hitting the ground." She said instead, because she had obviously left her survival instincts in Konoha.

A faint line appeared between his brows and his shoulders tightened, "I wanted to make sure you trusted me enough to catch you."

"Well," Sakura said, all earnest twelve year old genius, "Trust has to be earned, sensei. I'm sure you know all there is to know about me. I don't even know your name."

For a moment it looked like he was going to lose his temper but he just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers, looking pained. "Give me time." He eventually said.

"OK, sensei," She said gently, "But I won't wait forever."

xxxxxxxx

It took a year for him to tell her his name.

He said it very quickly, looking deeply into her eyes, clearly searching for some kind of recognition.

Itachi.

The name meant nothing to her.

By this time she's got new muscles and her stomach is impressively toned, enough so that she develops a habit of poking it every now and then and giggling gleefully. She's thirteen and painfully aware of hormones – something that had been an abstract concept found only in textbooks she'd scanned briefly and discarded due to boredom – and how they like to point out exactly how attractive her sensei is.

Itachi never really mentions an age or a birthday but lets it be known that he is old. Too old goes unsaid but she hears it all the same.

They live out of hotels, mostly, and never go revisit an old place, but they do seem to stay where they are for longer each time. She realises one day that they are drifting further and further away from Konoha and she doesn't know how she feels about that.

She doesn't hear news of Team 7 at all – they're hardly famous, just a little genin team, but she still expects every town to be alight with gossip of dead teenagers from Konoha whenever they visit. It's her worst fear, that something bad will happen while she's gone – the strange mark on Sasuke's neck, the way Konoha seemed generally hostile to Naruto, Kakashi's loneliness. But then she remembers how little protection she provided when she was there and hardens her resolve. She's doing this for all of them, getting the training she so desperately needs so one day she can return and be able to keep them safe.

She's fast now, fast enough that the first bandits Itachi unleashes her on don't stand a chance. She feels like other people are slowed down somehow – is this how it feels for Lee? – and that she's entered a new state of consciousness. Itachi called it hyperawareness. She can feel when people are going to attack and she's now quick enough to counter in time.

He only ever lets her practice her skills on himself, dummies or criminals and they both agreed after her disastrous first kill that she should minimise her murder streak, so even bandits just get knocked on the head when she wants to end the fight.

When she first started sparring with Itachi she simply couldn't do anything against him, even with him holding back massively. He taught her basic punching techniques, holds and blocks, etc. and eventually she could start going through martial forms against him until every detail was burned into her brain. She knew that the easiest form kick, twist, block, punch, feint kick, twist was one Itachi could counter without even having to think. After a while, she started making it up as she went along, compensating for her lack of strength with her light weight and speed, focusing on dodging and trying to disarm him.

Now she could spar with him simply, just a basic workout, but she knew he could kill her very easily. The thought never scared her. Kakashi could kill her. Sasuke could kill her. Maybe even Naruto. You learned to live with your own mortality after being put in a few life or death situations.

She and Itachi had now lived together long enough for it to stop being awkward. She had never lived with anyone but her parents and to have a sort-of stranger see her undress was out of the question, so she preserved her modesty obsessively, putting up towels and sheets whenever there was no room to change away from his eyes – always politely averted, him radiating disinterest – and tried to learn to be OK with him having absolutely no shame when it came to clothing standards.

When he came back from missions – and no, he never told her who gave him missions or what his job was – bleeding and tired, he thought nothing of taking his shirt off in front of her. Sometimes, if she was lucky, he had a ridiculously vile-looking wound on his chest or something that took her mind right off his abs, but most of the time he just ended up looking feral and like he needed a wash.

She usually handed him their medical supplies, heroically maintaining eye contact, or ran into another room (if there was one) and cursed her fate.

There was a man who sometimes visited, even though they had no fixed address, even though they always travelled under genjutsu. His name was Kisame and he had actual blue, scaly skin and razor-sharp teeth that he liked to display with his unsettling grins. Sakura knew he worked with Itachi and that he was dangerous – the fact that Itachi never left them alone together was telling enough. He mostly seemed curious about Sakura and, after she asked him a few nerdy questions about his fighting technique and how exactly his sword sucked up chakra, he even seemed to find her endearing.

Now Sakura sat on the edge of a hotel bed, proudly showing Kisame her favourite technique.

She opened her palm, willing hundreds of petals to come into being, swirling around her hand in a pink and purple blur. She turned her hand over and they immediately slowed, dancing in the air gently.

Kisame gave her a grin, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall, "Nice one, Saku-tan."

"She can use those to burn and wound," Itachi commented from where he was quietly and methodically removing mud and stones from the soles of his shoes, "The weakest concentration makes the skin bubble like acid, the strongest can melt flesh away completely."

Kisame looked interested at that, "Huh, not just a pretty face, eh? That take up a lot of chakra?"

"Sakura has perfect chakra control." Itachi spoke again, chipping away at some dried mud with a metal pick. If Sakura didn't know any better, she'd say the tone of his voice was proud.

Sakura just gave Kisame a sheepish grin, "I only learnt it at first because I thought it was pretty. Itachi persuaded me to make it more… um, lethal."

"That's his way." Kisame grunted, "Take something soft and sharpen it till stings."

Itachi had warned Sakura the first time she met Kisame not to tell him anything important – about her plans to go home one day, Itachi's pacifism, anything.

It made it difficult to talk to him most of the time.

"Well you aren't any different." She pointed out, grinning, "What's your motto again?"

"The weak are meat, the strong eat." Kisame bared his teeth, "It's my philosophy, sweetheart. I kill what I can, and kill what I can't."

"You are a logical fallacy." Sakura observed, but she said it fondly.

Itachi stayed silent for the rest of the conversation, but his eyes flicked from Kisame to Sakura throughout the night, the only sign of his concern. Itachi disliked her talking to people, mostly worried about what she'd give away. She had mentioned the need to socialise every now and then and he had looked at like she was in need of psychological help. She chatted with townspeople whenever possible, never saying anything incriminating, and enjoyed talking to Itachi for the most part, but she absolutely savoured her conversations with Kisame, who proved to be wittier than he looked and an incurable gossip.

"I want to be stronger," Sakura said when Kisame asked about her goals, "I'm gonna prove everyone who doubted me wrong."

Kisame winked at her then, "Knock 'em dead, kid. With Itachi as your mentor you should have no problem with a little mass murder."

It was said with the warmth of a shared joke, but Sakura didn't get it. She looked at her sensei in confusion and saw that he had abandoned his shoes.

"Kisame." He said warningly.

Kisame took one look at his partner's face and seemed to understand something instantly. He glanced at Sakura, his smile gone, "I see," He said evenly, "Sorry, Saku-tan. Ignore me."

But she couldn't.

What was she missing here?


	2. Chapter 2

"Alright, Hinata, check the crowd, see if the target's just disguised or something." Kiba whispered, eyes scanning the people around them, sniffing hard for the floral scent of the crime lord that had evaded them for the past three days.

Hinata borrowed Shino's dark glasses to hide her Byakugan.

She slowly swept her eyes over the crowd, making sure no one escaped her radar.

Something unusual caught her attention. It was not the crime lord, but… She focused on the area, frowning.

There! A flash of pink.

A girl of her own age, under heavy genjutsu to look like an average, brown-haired teen. But… Hinata's mouth fell open in shock. She could see through genjutsu, leaving her with the true image before her with the genjutsu like an afterimage layered over it.

"Hinata?" Shino whispered from her left. His fingers twitched anxiously, several beetles running over his knuckles.

"Sakura-san." Hinata said disbelievingly.

"What?" Kiba couldn't hide his shock, his head snapping round to study the crowd.

"She's hidden under genjutsu. She is with an older man, also disguised. He is tall, dark-haired… he looks like Sasuke-san. He is… exceptionally powerful…"

"What the hell…?" Kiba muttered, fangs bared, "She goes missing for four years and then… Does she look frightened at all? Is she under any other jutsu?"

"No, she's laughing. Can you see her, the short brunette girl near the takoyaki stand? She seems comfortable in the man's presence."

Shino's fingers twitched again, "I have left an insect on her shoulder. She won't notice it. We'll be able to track her that way."

"What should we do?" Kiba said, voice tense with anticipation for a fight, "Should we abandon the mission and approach her?"

"Kiba, you will go back to Konoha and inform the Hokage of our findings. Hinata and I will complete the mission." Shino said calmly, looking quietly confident in himself as always.

Hinata was aghast, "But, Naruto-kun… if he knew we saw Sakura-san and did nothing…"

"The mission comes first." Shino said firmly, "Sakura left by her own will and does not appear to be in any immediate danger. Furthermore, we have means of tracking her should she disappear again. Kiba, go now."

Kiba disliked taking orders from Shino, but clambered on top of Akamaru and shot off regardless, grumbling under his breath.

Hinata watched Sakura's happy, smiling face, saw her hand wrap around the strange man's arm, and felt a chill of foreboding.

xxxxxxxx

Umeko walked down the hall, feeling slightly self-conscious. The years she had lived in Konoha had not lifted the feeling of 'otherness,' that she was somehow still foreign and strange to the locals. She was aware her personality in particular made it difficult for her to fit in. It couldn't be helped. She was as stubborn and hard-headed as a rock, and just as smart as one, as her mother often said.

She was also good at getting herself hopelessly lost, having no sense of direction at all, a flaw not befitting a shinobi. Still, at least Konoha had all sorts of interesting and distinctive landmarks she could use to keep track of her position. Iwakagure was mostly desolate, rocky and barren of individuality. When she had first arrived in Konoha, pink blossom filled the air and she had been left in awe.

Umeko's only interesting feature were the eyes she had inherited from her mother. They were dark purple, like two plums. Her hair was mud-brown and thin. Her mother had often expressed her frustration with it, finding it impossible to style. Her mother had hair as dark as a raven's wing, thick and lustrous. She liked to tease it into ringlets. Umeko always pictured her mother with corkscrew curls trailing over her shoulders and down her back. Umeko liked to keep her hair pinned up in a loose bun. It was the only style that didn't make her mother's nose wrinkle in distaste and even after she left Iwa and her mother behind, the habit stuck.

As the leader of their clan, her mother inspired admiration and devotion in equal measures in her family. Yamaguchi Hitomi was well loved by her peers. Umeko was generally expected to be a smaller version of Hitomi. But she didn't suit the part. Her diplomatic skills were non-existent, she was too awkward and serious to make friends everywhere she went and her short, stout body looked ridiculous in a kimono.

Her new teammates had not been friendly at first. Naruto, in particular, had hated her on sight. He had claimed that she was trying to take 'Sakura-chan's' place and that she was not worthy of the position. Umeko had tried to explain that she was here as a favour to her mother and that she did not intend to take anyone's place, but Naruto would not listen.

But Naruto, at least, had eventually warmed up to her a little.

Sasuke seemed to despise her. He ignored her whenever possible and spoke harshly whenever she tried to speak with him.

At first, it had been a little lonely. Her new sensei, Kakashi, had soon quit after her arrival. She still didn't know why. She tried not to take it personally. The look in his eye when they had first met, and he was told she would be Haruno Sakura's replacement… Umeko had bowed, speaking of her hopes that they would get along, and he had left the room without a word.

The next sensei was frightening. She was a violent, uncouth woman with eerie abilities and strange ideas for training. Her name was Mitarashi Anko. She remained Team 7's sensei to this day. Out of the whole team, Anko was the only one who seemed to actually like Umeko.

Team 7 had received a summons from the Hokage. She knew Naruto and Sasuke were probably heading for the Kage's office together, whilst she quietly made her way on her own. She was filled with a sort of wistfulness, and looked out of the window at the green, leafy trees, imagining clouds of sakura blossom.

Umeko rounded a corner and promptly bumped into Hatake Kakashi, who was standing outside the Hokage's office.

"Oh!" Umeko flushed, "My apologies. I wasn't looking where I was going…"

"I can see that." Kakashi replied. He leant against the wall, "You been summoned by Tsunade?"

"Yes, it is apparently urgent."

"Well, so was I. I'm guessing this is a matter that involves all of Team 7, past…" He paused, closing his eye, "… and present members included."

Umeko gazed at him, breathless. It was the first time he had referred to her as part of the team –

"Even you, I guess." He looked at her coldly, sounding disdainful.

"You bullying my kid again?" Anko's voice cut through the suddenly stiff atmosphere. Umeko jumped as her sensei's hand hit her shoulder.

Kakashi held a book up to his eye and shrugged, scanning the pages nonchalantly.

"Anko-sensei," Umeko said respectfully, "Have you also –"

"Baa-chan, we're here!" Naruto suddenly announced, his voice loud and obnoxious as usual. He emerged around the corner, Sasuke trailing behind him.

He gave Umeko a tiny, half-hearted grin, then thumped Kakashi on the arm.

"Hey, bastard!" Naruto greeted him. 'Bastard' seemed to be his default term for Kakashi. It had been ever since he quit being a jounin sensei.

"Naruto." Kakashi replied, not looking up from his book.

Sasuke remained silent, looking at the floor.

"Looks like the gang's all here." Anko said, grinning, and knocked on the Hokage's door.

"Come in." Tsunade called.

Umeko shuffled in behind Sasuke and stood up straight, mentally repeating the discipline phrase of my spine is stone that her mother had taught her to keep her still in her youth, when she was forced to stand during long meetings.

Inuzuka stood next to the Hokage, his dog-beast lying down next to him. Umeko eyed it nervously. She knew it was tame, but its size alone made it frightening… It yawned suddenly, revealing large teeth. She shuddered, forgetting her stony spine for a second.

"You all came quickly," Tsunade commented, seated behind her desk. Her pretty face was frowning, "I have news. Kiba, tell them what you know."

"We were out looking for our target," He began without preamble, addressing Naruto in particular, "When Hinata saw someone else. Sakura, with another man, both disguised under genjutsu."

Naruto sucked in a breath, shocked, his eyes bulging out. Sasuke stiffened, closing his eyes. Umeko saw his fists clench.

Kakashi's voice was quiet when he spoke up, "Sakura is alive, then?"

"Definitely. It was her for sure."

"Who was the man?" Anko asked, not smiling anymore.

Kiba shrugged. "Dunne. Hinata said he was tall, had dark hair and… oh yeah!" His eyes flicked over to Sasuke, "He looked like Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, blood red.

Kakashi was already murmuring, "It might not be him…" but Sasuke was charging forward, seizing Kiba by the shirt and dragging him forward.

"What did he look like? Tell me!" He snarled.

Akamaru gave a low growl.

"Sasuke!" Anko said sharply, "Calm down."

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, looking bewildered.

Umeko felt at a loss herself. Who was the man who looked like Sasuke?

"It could be him, he could be with Sakura!" Sasuke snapped, "Don't tell me to calm down."

"Who is 'he'?" Umeko asked.

Sasuke glared at her, "My brother."

Naruto's forehead creased in confusion, "You have a brother? I thought your family…"

"Because of him. He… he is the one who murdered my clan." Sasuke was trembling all over, his hands shaking violently as though they wished to throttle someone.

"I see," Umeko said seriously, "So we are going on a rescue mission, then? How dangerous is this man?"

Sasuke gave her an incredulous look, "He massacred an entire clan of powerful shinobi. What do you think?"

She could think only of sakura blossom, and of Naruto's sad eyes, and spoke up, "I think we need to get your friend away from him, then, if he is so dangerous."

"Easier said than done." Kakashi sighed.

"Anko," Tsunade began, "Take your team to find Shino and Hinata. They can lead you to where Sakura is. I want you to carefully evaluate the situation, weigh up the risks and see if it's worth trying to retrieve her. I don't want anyone dying over this. Umeko and Anko, you are the only impartial members. I'm going to trust you two to keep the team grounded, to prevent any unnecessary risk-taking."

Umeko nodded. Anko made a face.

"I'm coming." Kakashi said. He had put his book away without her noticing. His eye looked solemn.

Tsunade looked sceptical, but nodded, "I thought as much. Be careful. The only one of you who is forbidden from –"

"I'm going." Sasuke said, a dark, ugly look on his face, "I don't care what you say. If you stop me I'll just leave on my own."

The Hokage glared at him, "I think you'll find you don't make the rules around here. If you go and I find out you risked the safety of others for the sake of your revenge, endangering Sakura's life or anyone else's, I will have your hitae-ate. This is an immensely serious matter, Sasuke. You are not strong enough to kill Itachi. Not yet. For now, be satisfied with rescuing Sakura from him."

Umeko watched the complicated emotions war across Sasuke's face – he clearly wanted his brother dead very badly, but he seemed conflicted by the presence of Sakura.

"Sakura-chan comes first," Naruto said to Sasuke, looking determined, "I won't let you get in the way."

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, "You're the one who'll be in the way."

"Before you go, you need to establish Sakura's position in all this," Tsunade said, "I don't think I ever met her, so I can't speak for her. Did she leave willingly? Did Itachi – if it is Itachi – kidnap her? If not, you may have difficulty getting her to leave him."

"Sakura wouldn't leave," Naruto declared passionately, "I said it from the start but no one believed me!"

Umeko imagined this Sakura girl living in captivity for four years and felt her resolve harden. If she could assist in this mission, she would do it without hesitation. She would prove her worth in this way.

"Why would he even want to kidnap her?" Anko asked, though her troubled look said she was thinking of a few reasons she didn't like.

"Perhaps he was aware of her affiliation with Sasuke." Umeko suggested.

Sasuke shook his head, "I can't predict anything that bastard would do. I never knew him at all."

"Regardless of whether she was willing or not, she may be the companion of a missing nin. We are duty-bound to retrieve her." Kakashi said.

Tsunade nodded.

"Well… Operation Retrieve Sakura has begun."

xxxxxxxx

After they helped Hinata and Shino out with their errant crime lord, they followed the trail Shino's insect led, Sasuke growing more and more tense with every step they travelled.

Kakashi was silent the whole time, not cracking any jokes or whipping out his brightly coloured books. Even Anko seemed slightly subdued.

Umeko walked behind Anko, dutifully following her footsteps. Her sensei back home had expected absolute respect, so she and the rest of her team had always walked at least two steps behind him. Anko loudly complained about how creepy it was the first time she did it, but she seemed to enjoy having a follower.

She was so focused on copying her sensei's footsteps that she nearly walked right into her back when the group halted suddenly.

Shino nodded to a small cabin on the outskirts of the village the crime lord dwelled in. "This is the place." He said quietly.

The cabin was in the middle of a large meadow, the mountains encircling the space, creeping ivy and dripping willow trees painting the picture with colour. Dark green leaves mingled with lime-coloured fruits Umeko didn't recognise hanging on trees, pink blotches of flowers broke up the grassy patches and there was a spring filled with crystal clear water next to the cabin.

"Genjutsu." Sasuke said, his Sharingan darting from the spring to the flowers.

Umeko was stunned to see the whole pretty scenery melt away as Sasuke broke the jutsu – the ivy and trees disappeared, the grass became yellow-green and burnt in places, there were no fruit or flowers left and the spring became a pond filled with algae.

"Clearly not to keep people away," Kakashi commented, looking around, "Looks like someone just wanted to make the place more attractive to look at."

Hinata's eyes suddenly bugged out. Umeko stared.

"Sakura-san is leaving the building. The man is not anywhere nearby." Hinata reported.

Naruto was practically buzzing with excitement at the prospect at seeing Sakura again. Sasuke kept his eyes on the cabin door, his stare intent and focused.

A teenage girl opened the door, a crow on her shoulder. She had long brown hair and a plain, honest-looking face.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto bellowed.

Umeko felt her carefully laid plans go to waste with that one, impulsive shout, and mourned them quietly.

The girl turned around, looking astounded. The crow took off, flying west.

Her appearance melted away into a short girl with pink hair and green eyes.

"It's really you!" Naruto shouted, tears in his eyes.

Sakura stared at them all, her expression dazed. She slowly looked over them all, seemingly drinking in the details.

Naruto darted forward, "It's alright, we've come to save you!"

He leapt backwards as a kunai sailed through the air and struck the ground between him and Sakura.

A man with long black hair tied back and thin lines under his eyes landed next to Sakura. His expression was so cold Umeko gave an involuntary shiver at the sight.

Sasuke made a guttural, animalistic noise, his chakra flaring up in short, enraged bursts.

"Itachi." He growled, his Sharingan whirring around, "I'll kill you!"

"Not today." Anko squeezed his arm, "Remember the priority?"

Sasuke shook her off with a snarl, his jaw clenched tightly. It looked as though he was struggling to stay where he was – his eyes were wide and staring and he was shaking from the adrenaline coursing through him. Anko stepped closer to him.

Shino held out his hand, letting an insect fly off his finger.

"How do you know Itachi?" Sakura asked, looking bewildered.

The man named Itachi was expressionless.

Umeko made eye contact with Naruto. He nodded, pointing up.

She slammed her hand on the ground, a black seal appearing beneath her palm.

The ground under Naruto's feet shot upwards sharply, propelling him into the air. Kakashi shouted something, sounding alarmed, but Naruto was already forming seals mid-air.

A hundred Narutos appeared in the air, hurtling towards Itachi, each one armed with a kunai and a furiously determined face. Umeko noted the real Naruto landing back on the ground, Kakashi's hand on his collar.

Itachi didn't move.

Sakura rose to meet the threat, raising her palms out. Thousands of cherry blossom petals swirled through the air, blinding the clones.

Umeko had half a second to wonder at the famed Haruno Sakura, the girl she was not good enough to replace, using such a pointlessly pretty jutsu, before it happened.

Sakura drew her hands apart sharply and the petals exploded at once, fire and smoke billowing out from the ruined clones.

They watched in grim silence as the smoke cleared to reveal a sky empty of clones.

Naruto stopped fighting against Kakashi's hold and stared dumbly at Sakura, looking confusedly hurt and betrayed.

"That's enough." Sakura said, closing her hands into fists, "I understand you may be angry at my leaving, but you have no right to attack Itachi for it!"

"You'd defend him?" Sasuke turned his red-eyed furious glare on his former teammate, who looked frustrated.

"I don't understand what's going on here," She replied, "But I'd defend him to the death, of course. He's my sensei."

Umeko barely caught Kakashi's flinch. She felt a flicker of sympathy towards the man, despite knowing how he would feel about her pitying him.

"Your what?" Naruto spat out, "What are you talking about?!"

A flash of purple crossed Umeko's peripheral vision – Hinata was subtly planting herself next to Naruto, close enough to comfort him with her presence and also close enough to defend him, if necessary.

What is this, Umeko thought, was Sakura an enemy? Were they going to have to fight the both of them?

Sasuke's control snapped.

He was certainly not Anko's favourite student by any means, being far too dry and boring for her tastes, but they were alike in many ways. They both shared the same curse seal. Anko had taken it on as her responsibility to teach him all she knew.

Hissing, biting snakes emerged from Sasuke's sleeve, and shot towards Itachi's face.

Sakura leapt in front of him and the snakes halted, Sasuke's face contorting –

She brushed aside the snakes with a single hand, wearing her petals like a glove. The snakes melted with a deafening clamour of hissing and spitting, finally erupting into smoke. Sasuke shook his sleeve, his face like thunder.

"Stop it!" Sakura demanded, but the adults seemed to have had enough of watching and waiting because Anko appeared next to her and grabbed the girl's right arm and twisted it behind her back as Kakashi covered her, facing Itachi down.

Itachi looked at Sakura, struggling angrily against the older woman's grip, and moved.

Anko lay on the ground, coughing blood, grimacing. Umeko's eyes simply couldn't trace what had happened, but Itachi was now holding a dagger dripping with blood and had Sakura by his side, a hand on her shoulder.

Itachi glanced at Anko on the ground, his hand beginning to move, but Umeko formed a seal quicker than she knew she was capable and the ground shifted, forming a protective dome over Anko's prone form.

He turned to look at her instead, those cold eyes digging into her, but she sank into the ground, avoiding his gaze.

She swam through the rock as easily as water, filtering the stone and mud away from her, forming a tunnel underground. She emerged inside the dome to find Anko winding a bandage around her middle, the white already stained with blood.

"Thanks." Anko said, uncharacteristically terse.

Umeko accepted the gratitude with a nod, listening to the vibrations through the earth.

"Sakura-san is still next to the Uchiha," She informed Anko, "But Kakashi seems to be quite close to them both without any danger, I think."

"Must be talking." Anko wiped the blood off her chin and stared through the rock, "Could use the Hyuuga girl right now."

"She's holding Naruto back. From what I can hear of his voice," Umeko listened out for his particular cadence, his voice thrumming through the earth angrily, "He seems to believe we need his help."

"Doesn't he always? Sodding hero complex. Let's go back up, give the brat a scare."

"You go up. I'm going to isolate Sakura-san." Umeko said, coldly determined. I am stone, she thought fiercely, I am steady. She was going to snatch the girl right from under the missing-nin's nose. Wait till her mother heard about that!

She made a tunnel for Anko to travel through, knowing the woman could easily get out on her own.

When it was just her in the dark dome, she breathed out, searching for Sakura's light steps and feminine voice.

I'm sorry Kakashi, she said, her voice quiet under the earth, I owe my sensei everything. I can't leave him.

Umeko pinpointed her location and shot through the ground with a quick hand seal, arm stretched out, fingers carving through rock.

Her hand emerged, seizing Sakura's ankle. She tugged her down through the earth, swallowing her shriek with dirt.

Before she could celebrate her victory, another hand plunged through the earth and grabbed Sakura by the shoulder, roughly yanking her out of the hole.

Umeko cursed silently as black eyes glared down at her. She heard Naruto roar something and sank deeper into the ground, grateful for the distraction. Her chakra was getting low. She pushed herself over to the side of her allies, Naruto standing with Hinata, Shino and Anko, and made a hole.

Anko bent down to let her out of the ground.

Umeko didn't bother to brush herself down, just blinked dust out of her eyes and took in the sight before her.

Kakashi was indeed near Sakura, his hands up in a placatory gesture, but Itachi was now holding onto her tightly, Umeko's hole next to them. Sasuke stood alone, seething with rage.

Her ears caught something from the ground.

Sasuke was tapping his foot in a particular rhythm. Shinobi code.

Get me close to her.

No one else seemed to have noticed.

Well, she'd need to distract Itachi first, separate him and Sakura.

"I'm going to do something stupid." Umeko muttered to Anko.

"Don't die." She replied, eyes on Kakashi's back.

"I hate this jutsu." She said through gritted teeth, straining to shift the ground under Itachi's feet. He leapt away from the sudden quicksand, taking Sakura with him, but Umeko drove a spike of rock between them that, in the air, they had no choice but to separate to avoid.

Sasuke disappeared and reappeared in a flicker next to Sakura in the air, his hands on her shoulders, his Sharingan spinning. She stared back, wide-eyed and caught in his trap. They landed softly on the ground, not breaking eye contact.

Kakashi, Anko and Naruto formed a barrier between the two and Itachi, each one tense and ready for a fight.

But when Sakura started screaming, they didn't stand a chance.

There was loud bang and the three of them were sent flying in Itachi's wake as he sped towards Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto bellowed a warning. Umeko didn't have time to form any seals and froze in horror, mouth falling open when –

Itachi stopped, a hand on his left shoulder.

"Finally." Shino said.

Umeko stared at him.

"You have very poor chakra control." Shino said calmly, his glasses flashing in the sun, "It wasn't difficult to siphon off some chakra every time you used a technique. You are typically wasteful, you didn't notice the excess loss. If you try to use your Sharingan now, I fear the chakra expenditure might make you pass out."

It was more words than Umeko had ever heard him speak at once.

"If you had troubled yourself to use your Sharingan before, you would have noticed my kikaichū leeching your chakra much quicker."

Anko let out a bark of a laugh, hopping up from the ground as though unhurt, cheerfully ignoring the blood pouring from her head, "Jeez, well done kid. Making us all look bad."

Sakura had stopped screaming by this point, but Umeko could see tears shining faintly on her cheeks. What was Sasuke doing to her?

Itachi removed his hand from his shoulder, still expressionless. Umeko had no doubt he could take them on without his chakra, but she didn't doubt he would lose.

"I'll come back for her." He said with quiet confidence. He glanced at Sasuke, still holding Sakura by the shoulders and stuck in whatever jutsu he was working on. There was something about Itachi's expression that looked longing as he looked at them, "Keep her safe until then."

He disappeared, smoke unfurling from where he had stood.

Anko cursed a blue streak at his sudden departure but Kakashi's shoulders sagged in relief.

"Did you save your kikaichū before he left?" Umeko asked Shino worriedly.

His head turned towards her, his expression shielded completely by his hood and glasses. He held up a finger to show her a dark blue beetle nestling against his skin.

"Oh, good." She smiled, reaching over to give the beetle a stroke. His pale hand jerked away suddenly, to her surprise.

"We should let Sasuke know what happened." Shino said stiffly.

It was Naruto who shook Sasuke's shoulder gently, breaking the jutsu. He blinked slowly, his hands sliding off of Sakura's shoulders.

Sakura sank to the ground, fists on her knees. Umeko expected to see more tears but her eyes were as hard and sharp as diamonds, glinting with suppressed anger.

"What did you do to her?" Naruto demanded.

"I showed her the truth. My memories of that night." Sasuke replied, his righteous anger having already died away. He just looked tired now, infinitely weary. He looked around the clearing, his face screwing up as he realised Itachi had disappeared.

"Sakura-san…" Hinata whispered, hands covering her mouth.

"Hey, it's OK." Naruto bent down and put a hand on her shoulder, "You'll be fine. You can come home now."

Sakura stayed on her knees, her eyes shadowed.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked worriedly, starting to walk towards the motionless girl.

Sakura raised one shaking hand and held it outstretched behind her. Thousands of petals poured from her palm in a violent stream and struck the cabin all at once. She flicked her wrist and Umeko flinched as the cabin imploded, wood and glass shattering beneath the force of Sakura's rage.

"ITACHI!" She howled, face twisted, "Tell me it's not true! I know you're still here, I know you!"

If Itachi truly remained close by, he stayed silent.

"I know you!" Sakura insisted, striking the ground with her fists. Her eyes remained dry, burning fiercely with rage, "It's all a lie," She glared up at Sasuke, "I don't believe you."

Sasuke raised his fist, Umeko horrified to see tears glinting in his eyes, and could only be restrained by Naruto hauling him back, as he yelled, "I was THERE! I saw him! I know what he did!"

Naruto hugged him tightly, burying his face in his shoulder. Sasuke shuddered, clutching Naruto's arms. "Don't worry," Naruto said clearly, "We got her back and no one died. We did good."

Though Sasuke let out a loud scoff, his breathing began to settle down.

Sakura stayed on the ground, a tight frown creasing her pretty face. Umeko knelt down in front of her, wondering what to say.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked, her voice very small and cracked. She didn't look away from the ground.

"Yamaguchi Umeko," She replied, hesitant, "I took your place in Team 7 after you left."

Sakura's eyes rose to meet hers, apple green meeting plum purple, and then she burst into tears.


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura remained silent the entire journey back. Naruto chattered in her ear excitedly for nearly an hour, but gave in when it became obvious she wasn't listening. She tried to ignore how close to tears he was after that. Hinata and Shino respected her enough to keep their distance, but the strange Umeko girl seemed to want to be her new best friend.

"When we heard you were in danger," Umeko said earnestly, "we came immediately. Naruto and Sasuke were very worried."

Sakura walked in silence, Naruto keeping her elbow in a loose hold, a formality of security at most. Whether his intent was to protect her or to prevent her from escaping, she did not know.

She had time to calm down on the way back. Time to adjust. She no longer felt like screaming or hunting Itachi down. She had willing left their little haven, because there was nothing left for her there now. She recognised that.

Every moment of suspicion she had ever felt now played back in her mind on an endless loop. She couldn't stop rehashing the events of the last few years in her mind, trying to see if she'd missed something. If the truth had been under her nose the whole time.

Sakura's gaze caught on Umeko's plain face. The girl kept quiet after Sakura never replied, her head down. The rest of Team 7 ignored her.

"How long did it take you to replace me?" Sakura asked, her voice hoarse. She was looking at Kakashi.

He held his hands up and shook his head, "Don't look at me, I had nothing to do with it. I quit before she joined."

"Would you prefer Team 7 being down to two members?" Anko asked.

"No. I just wanted to know how long."

"Not long enough." Sasuke said, not looking at her.

Umeko looked down at the ground, her shoulders lowered.

Anko bumped her shoulder against hers in a strange form of camaraderie.

xxxxxxxx

They didn't treat her like a prisoner. Not with Naruto, bright and fierce as always, snapping at every nin who looked their way.

"Sakura-chan's not a bad guy," Naruto snorted when Genma, a laidback shinobi with an oral fixation, tried to intervene as they passed through gate, "Leave her alone or I'll tell baa-chan!"

Genma raised an eyebrow at Kakashi, who only nodded in return, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder. Anko flashed him a quick grin and did the same. Sakura felt the eyes of Genma and the other man he was on patrol duty with, both of them examining her curiously. She didn't blame them, not really.

Naruto gave a great whoop as they entered Konoha, turning to Sakura with his trademark wide grin, "You're home! We did it!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Umeko smiled but looked pale under the amiable expression.

Sakura managed a smile for Naruto's benefit, which seemed to please him greatly.

"So," Kakashi drawled, cuffing her wrists together in one swift movement, his grip tight enough to break bone if she struggled, "I have orders to take you to see Tsunade right away. After that, you'll be interrogated, most likely. You won't be tortured. Tsunade wouldn't let that happen. All you have to do is stay quiet and comply with everything anyone asks of you. This could go very, very badly for you. I don't want that to happen."

Naruto's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

Sakura thought about struggling, thought about opening her hands to release a stream of petals into his face, but met Naruto's eye and couldn't go through with it.

"Of course," She said quietly, "You don't have to worry about me."

Umeko seemed distressed, "Kakashi-san, surely you do not have to physically restrain –"

"What kind of shinobi would I be," He replied curtly, "if I allowed her to walk freely in the village after being forcibly removed from the custody of a missing nin?"

"A merciful one." Umeko held his gaze, her brow puckered by her frown.

"Sakura is not complaining. Nor should you be." Kakashi didn't speak cruelly, Sakura thought, but Umeko recoiled as though slapped. The girl quickly glanced at Sakura's face and seemed to wilt.

"My apologies." She bowed her head in remorse.

"No need, kiddo," Anko said breezily, clipping Naruto over the head for no reason in particular, "C'mon, let's get this babysitting mission done, there's sake out there just screaming my name."

"It's nice to see you have your priorities sorted." Kakashi said lightly.

xxxxxxxx

Sakura stood before the new Hokage, a young woman she'd never met before, her hazel eyes thoroughly examining her form, the hard lines of her muscles, the callused palms and scarred flesh. The Hokage tightened her lips and her eyes rose to meet Sakura's.

"So." The woman said, using one pale finger to wipe a trace of lipstick from around her mouth, her posture utterly relaxed.

Sasuke and Naruto stood behind Sakura, Kakashi to her left, Anko to her right. Shino and Hinata had turned in their mission reports and gone home. Umeko was not permitted to join the meeting Tsunade had called upon hearing of Sakura's return.

"Haruno Sakura, right?" Tsunade tilted her head, her gaze assessing, "Missing for years, found in the company of a missing nin. A crisis, undoubtedly, the only thing that is in doubt is whether you are a victim…" She let the word hang in the air, crossing her arms until her breasts threatened to spill over, "…or an accomplice."

"She's definitely –" Naruto began eagerly, taking a step forward.

"Enough, Naruto." Tsunade said, not unkindly. Sakura heard him step back, grumbling under his breath.

The room was silent.

Sakura felt the room's occupants all staring at her, Sasuke's glare digging into her back in particular. Anko was chewing on a dango stick, looking pensive.

"I've read your file," Tsunade continued when Sakura did not immediately reply with a frantic confession, "It says that before you vanished, you gave several people reason to believe you were leaving soon."

She cleared her throat, holding up some papers, "Hatake Kakashi said," She began. Kakashi looked away, mask warping where he chewed his lip, "Sakura and I had an argument before she disappeared. She told me she would 'get stronger on her own.' When she said goodbye, it sounded oddly final. It worried me enough that I went round her house, where her mother informed me Sakura had been making plans for when she moved out. The next thing I heard was that she was gone."

Kakashi sighed.

"You two," Tsunade suddenly pointed at the boys behind Sakura, "Did she give you reason to believe she was leaving?"

Naruto's voice was hard, "No. She didn't."

Liar, Sakura thought, remembering the promise they had made. She ducked her head, hiding the tiniest of smiles.

"And you?"

Sasuke didn't even hesitate, "Sakura and I were never close," He drawled, "I think I'd recall her saying something like that out of the blue."

Tsunade chewed her lip, reflecting on what had been said.

"Regardless, she definitely had warning that she would be leaving soon. She left this letter for her mother," She waved a crinkled, worn piece of paper with faded writing on. Sakura made a reflexive movement, as though to grab it from her. She forced her twitching fingers back into a fist and stared straight ahead blankly, jaw clenched. Tsunade gave a thoughtful little hum.

"In it, she explicitly states that she is leaving. But I can't help but wonder… goodbyes are nice and sweet. An easy way to make it look as though a kidnap victim left willingly. The only reason no attempt was made to retrieve her was because she retired, she did not abscond. I always wondered if it wasn't a little too neat." Tsunade said, hazel eyes staring incessantly at Sakura's face. Sakura did not look back at her.

As if, she thought, amused. Itachi wasn't really the kidnapping sort. And even if he did want to kidnap someone, he'd just do it, he wouldn't fuss about leaving a trail or whatever.

She saw Anko nodding out of the corner of her eye.

"Four years," Tsunade said musingly, rubbing her mouth lightly, "In the company of a murderer. What could that do to a person, I wonder?"

"Itachi is not a murderer." Sakura said sternly.

Sasuke's growl was cut off by Naruto slinging his arm around his mouth, wrestling him back. Anko rolled her eyes and dragged him out of the room, shutting the door on his snarling face.

Tsunade grimaced, deep wrinkles forming at the corners of her mouth, "Well, you would say that, wouldn't you?" She pointed out reasonably.

"How about we get Sakura to tell her story from the start, no interruptions, and we draw our conclusions from there?" Kakashi said, hands in his pockets.

Tsunade looked at Sakura expectantly.

Sakura closed her eyes. Meeting Itachi for the first time. Learning how to walk up trees. Asking him his name. Deciding to trust him. How to explain any of it?

Sasuke had known Itachi's name before Sakura had said it. He had, and continued to, react badly at the sight or mention of him. She knew, of course, that someone had slaughtered Sasuke's entire family. She had simply never imagined it was his own brother.

Nor, that Sasuke would one day accuse Itachi of being that man.

Sasuke and Itachi shared more than a passing resemblance. Sakura remembered trusting Itachi on sight from the moment she met him. Could her feelings for Sasuke have influenced her opinion of a man who looked a lot like him?

Kisame had once said: 'With Itachi as your mentor you should have no problem with a little mass murder.'

That comment, was self-explanatory.

Itachi had killed Sasuke's family. His own family. Sakura did the math lightning-fast in her head. Right before he met her for the first time.

Sakura opened her eyes.

"I've nothing to say." She said flatly.

Naruto made a sharp noise of protest.

"Uchiha Itachi," Tsunade leant forward in her chair, "murdered his own clan. His and Sasuke's parents. Do you understand that? Did he tell you?"

Sakura glared at the wall above Tsunade's head, remaining silent.

She just needed to think, to figure things out. She couldn't do that with everyone badgering her.

Naruto put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off instinctively, turning to face him. He gave her a wide-looked look, helplessly confused by it all. She gazed into his blue eyes for a while, committing them to memory, then turned back to Tsunade.

"My family," She said, "Are they alright?"

"They are healthy." Tsunade said, "I don't know more than that."

"I do," Kakashi offered, "Your mother worries about you. Other than that, she's doing well."

Sakura closed her eyes.

"I will cooperate in exchange for my connection with Itachi to not be revealed to the village, including my family." She said, clenching her fists and ignoring the stab of regret in her breast she felt, reasoning with herself that Itachi would not mind, no matter what she chose to do. He was that kind of man. Wasn't he?

"Done," Tsunade said crisply, "Just tell us what you know, and we will release a statement suggesting you were simply travelling in the years you were gone. You probably won't be charged with any crime anyway – that one over there would never shut up if you were." She jabbed a thumb at Naruto, grinning, but Sakura wasn't convinced.

No way was she going to be allowed to get away with this, to be allowed to return to her everyday life as though she'd done nothing wrong. Certainly not because of some 'influence' Naruto had over the Hokage. What game was this woman playing?

Her hazel eyes were shrewd and seemed to cut through any façade, demanding complete honesty.

"I met Itachi when I was six," She began, but Tsunade held up her hand to stop her.

"Bring the Uchiha kid back in," She motioned to Anko, "This is something he needs to hear, I think. Leave Umeko where she is."

Anko hauled Sasuke through the doorway, ignoring his angry protests.

Sakura took a deep breath, feeling even more uneasy with Sasuke's eyes on her, "He offered to teach me how to be a better ninja."

"Did you tell him about me." Sasuke said flatly, not asking. It seemed he knew the answer already.

"He never asked, not really," Sakura said hesitantly, "But I was… proud of you. I liked to boast about your achievements. He seemed interested in your grades and things. I remember he smiled once, when I told him you got first in the class for your aiming skills."

A spasm of pain flickered across Sasuke's face. Naruto shifted a little closer to him, his eyes solemnly intent on Sakura.

"He told me I should be kinder to Naruto." Sakura remembered. Naruto's mouth dropped open, "He said something about him already having enough to deal with without me being cruel to him."

Tsunade exchanged significant looks with the two jounin in the room.

"We used to meet in the Nara Forest," Sakura admitted, feeling this was safe to tell them, "He taught me how to climb trees with my chakra. Sometimes we just talked. It took him a long time to trust me completely, I think. He didn't tell me his name until I'd lived with him for a year."

"You left with him willingly." Tsunade prompted her.

"I refused at first. I didn't want to leave my friends, my family. I was worried we'd be doing criminal things. I didn't want to betray my village," She said, a sour twist to her lips, "I understand now, that I was right. Itachi told me to retire properly, so it was legal, and to write to my mother so she wouldn't worry. He gave me time to say goodbye to everyone, and then I met him at the border and we left. We lived in hotels for a while, whenever he needed to be in an area, that's where we'd stay. He got missions like any other nin. I don't know who he worked for," Sakura lied steadily, looking straight into Tsunade's eyes without a flicker, "He didn't like to talk about it."

"Does the name 'Akatsuki' mean anything to you?" Tsunade asked, eyes narrowing intently.

Sakura pretended to muse on the question, "…I don't know. He didn't say much and I've got a pretty good memory, so I think I'd know if he ever mentioned that name."

"Why was he in Konoha, the day you first met?"

"I don't know," She replied honestly, "He got angry if I ever asked him personal questions. I don't even know where he was from."

"Yes you do," Kakashi corrected, his voice gentle, "He used to live here, didn't he?"

Sakura looked back at him, her shoulders slumping in defeat, "I guess so."

"'He got angry'?" Sasuke repeated, his expression strange, "Did he… did he ever hurt you?"

Sakura frowned at him, turning back to Tsunade to wait for the next proper question, but the woman simply gazed back at her, apparently wanting to hear her answer.

Her silence was seemingly answer enough. Naruto's mouth trembled. Kakashi didn't move a muscle, standing rigidly still. Anko grimaced. Sasuke's eyes flashed red.

"Sakura…" Tsunade said, her voice suddenly soft, comforting, "You know, there are people you can talk to about this –"

"No!" Sakura yelped, "No, he would never hurt me, never!"

"He stayed in hotel rooms with you for four years," Tsunade said tentatively, "He is known to have slaughtered his own kin to test his strength. This is a dangerous, unpredictable man. And yet you say he did nothing?"

"Nothing." Sakura stressed, "He wouldn't dream of hurting me."

"Akatsuki members are not always rich," Tsunade said leadingly, "Surely there were times when he could not afford a room with more than one bed –"

"I'm not listening to this." Kakashi said abruptly, "And I don't think it's good for Sasuke, either."

"Go if you want," Sasuke replied, his gaze heated and his voice twisted with loathing, "I want to know exactly what he did."

"He didn't do anything!" Sakura insisted, upset, "He wouldn't!"

Anko, to her surprise, moved over to her and gently, slowly, put her arm around her. "Hey, I get it," She whispered, "I believe you. But this isn't going to get easier for you if you clam up, OK? Just be as honest as possible and try to remember every detail. This is very important."

Sakura trembled.

"You want to know what he did?" She asked, addressing the whole room. Kakashi stopped on his way out. Tsunade leaned forward in her chair. Naruto looked away, biting his lip, but Anko's grip tightened on her waist encouragingly.

"Whenever it rained, he lent me his cloak," She began, her voice high and faltering, "He never let me go hungry. He listened to me when I needed to talk, he encouraged my dreams and made me feel like I could accomplish anything. When I had nightmares, he would wake me up and talk softly about himself, his likes and dislikes, for hours until I fell asleep again. Once, a thief managed to slice my side with a knife and I came back to the hotel, bleeding and already delirious from a fever. Itachi nursed me himself and never left my side. On my birthday, he would buy me my favourite food and we'd share it, even if he didn't like the taste, he'd eat it to make me happy. One year, he saved up and bought me a special kunai that was attuned to my chakra. I stayed with him for years and he never once laid a hand on me. He always treated me kindly, going above and beyond his duty to keep me safe, and always looked out for me the best he could. So. That was what he did."

Sasuke stared at her.

Tsunade frowned, looking thoughtful.

"First," She said, breaking the silence that had followed Sakura's rant, "You will have a chat with one of the Yamanaka clan. Then, it will be decided whether you may go home without any punishment, or if you need to be detained for your own safety, or others'."

"You said she probably wouldn't be charged for anything!" Naruto yelled, looking betrayed.

"Yes, and I've not said any differently, have I?" Tsunade sighed, "Like it or not, if evidence is found that Sakura has a soul as black as the dirt under your fingernails, we will have to do something about it."

That quietened him, though he did frown at his fingers for a while.

xxxxxxxx

The Hokage stood gazing out of her window, the soft breeze playing with her hair. Her arms were folded.

"You sent for me, Hokage-sama?" Umeko said hesitantly, bowing rather pointlessly to the woman's back out of habit.

"Your mother has sent me many letters over the years," Tsunade said, as if in answer, "She has had to make do without her only daughter for so long, it is no wonder she wants you back so badly."

Umeko lowered her head. Her mother needed her back to begin her training to take over as the new head of the clan. She was not a sentimental woman. Their separation had not been a hardship for her, Umeko knew. For as long as Umeko stayed away, the less embarrassment she could cause. She still remembered her mother's face the day she spilled tea over a visiting clan leader's lap. No, her mother did not miss her as the Hokage imagined.

"She is a strong woman. We have that in common." Tsunade finally turned around, smirking, "When I found references to a delegate who had been involved with talks with the Sandaime, I pictured a mousy woman who just wanted to leech money and status out the proposed alliance between our villages. When I met her, she proved me wrong. She cares about keeping the peace. When I wrote to her four years ago and mentioned I needed a genin, she recommended you gladly. You have the unique position of being both a ninja of Iwa and Konoha. I have no delusions over where your loyalty lies, or indeed should lie. You have performed your duties here admirably, making every effort to foster peace and working hard to aid Team 7, but now, your mission is finally complete. You may go home."

Umeko just stood there, conscious that the Hokage believed she should be jumping up and down in joy. She could only imagine returning to Iwa, her failings weighing her down all the way. She had not managed to sway anyone to her cause. Her teammates hadn't become her new best friends, as she'd hoped. And she certainly hadn't become an excellent ninja, the way she had promised her mother she would.

"I – I'll write to my mother." Umeko said blankly, "Thank you very much, for the honour of this mission."

"Oh don't mention it," Tsunade said dismissively, "It's not a big deal."

xxxxxxxx

The woman was tall and graceful-looking. Her hair was blue and pinned up. She wore dark eye make-up and the same cloak Itachi sometimes wore, black with red clouds.

"Hello." Sakura smiled, sitting on the grass with her legs crossed in a patch of sunlight, her back warming up in the mid-morning sun.

Itachi stood to the side, holding his elbows close to him, eyes on the woman's face.

"Good morning," The woman said politely, raising her eyebrow almost imperceptibly at Itachi, "And who is this?"

"I already informed Leader-sama that I had taken a ward on." Itachi said quietly, a muscle in his jaw leaping. He was as tense as a coiled spring.

The woman examined Sakura slowly, seeming in no hurry to finish her observation. Seconds passed. Sakura heard birds chirping in the trees and fought the urge to look, worried it might be rude to look away before the woman had finished.

"Where did you find her?" The woman asked, "Does she have any family?"

"Konoha," Itachi said gruffly, "and no. She did have a mother, but she died shortly before I met her."

The woman looked sharply at Sakura, who stared back blandly, her expression mild and innocuous.

Itachi had already told her to consider her mother dead when talking to others and to not even mention her grandmother.

"Why were you in Konoha?"

"I was there on Leader-sama's orders. You know what I was looking for."

"You didn't find it?"

"Not alone."

"I see. Is she trustworthy?"

"I know she is. I'm not going to tell her more than necessary. She has no issue with this."

The woman had very cold eyes, Sakura noted.

"See that she doesn't become an issue, Itachi. In the meantime, keep her trained, teach her what you know. Our leader is always happy to welcome new members."

"Sakura will not have a place in the organisation," Itachi said sharply, "She is –"

"Our organisation does not allow for side-projects or charity cases," The woman said coolly, "She will become a burden if she does not pull her weight. What does Kisame think of this?"

"He was pleased."

"Good. Well, Sakura-san," The woman turned her eyes back upon Sakura's face, her expression slightly thawed, "My name is Konan. As long as you never threaten or hinder this organisation, you will be treated with respect by its members. Seeing as you are now a part of us, I see no reason to withhold basic information, considering Itachi's trust in you. You have just joined the ranks of Akatsuki, Sakura-san. Please take care of us."

She placed a hand on Sakura's forehead and muttered something. There was a flash of light that stung her eyes sharply, then she plummeted towards the floor like a stone, Itachi's arms already around her to drag her back towards the light.

Sakura opened her eyes.

Something was tapping her window quietly.

She slid out of bed soundlessly, listening carefully. She could hear nothing but the steady tapping and the wind rustling the trees outside.

She opened her window and retrieved the paper bird, her mouth twisting wryly in recognition. As soon as she touched it, the paper smoothed out and words became visible.

Sakura-san. It is to my understanding you have been captured by Konoha. I have been reassured no harm will come to you there, as they consider you a victim. This letter, however, is not one to express my relief for your safety. It is a request for you to remain silent on all matters that you have encountered during your years in our organisation. If you do speak, we will know, and I would dislike my relief to become short-lived. Please stay safe, and silent.

Konan.

Sakura finished reading the note, rested her forehead against the windowpane and muttered, "I won't say a word." The paper folded itself into a rose, the words vanishing before her eyes. She shut the window and looked out, blinking painfully as the sun struck her eyes squarely. She tucked the rose away in a drawer and sat back down on her bed to contemplate her situation.

Whenever she had a problem, she broke it down and objectively considered it from all angles. Equations with no right answer, a particularly tricky measuring of a trajectory, a riddle without any clues – she would not rest until she solved it. She remembered lying in bed at home and absorbing information from a textbook, obsessively writing notes until an answer formed in her mind that made sense.

Sasuke had given her time to absorb the information inside his jutsu. Itachi, younger, just like she remembered him, but this time with a blood-soaked sword and eyes to match. She had watched helplessly, screaming at Itachi to stop, begging him, her vision streaked in blood and viscera as the Uchiha clan fell before her. It was a memory, so he could not hear her. She could even see little Sasuke, his eyes streaming with horrified tears, close to wetting himself in terror. His brother the cause. She could see the real Sasuke, all grown up and so like Itachi in looks, his eyes fixed on his brother, his expression grim. If it were her… She thought of her mother, her grandmother, if it were her… She would never be able to watch it happen more than once. But Sasuke stared at the scene unfolding as though it were his duty to do so.

Sasuke claimed Itachi was his brother and the murderer of his clan.

But…

There were so many memories she had that disputed his claim, so many things she knew to be true that contradicted her new fears.

One night, it rained so hard she feared the roof of the hotel would collapse under the collected weight of the raindrops. She and Itachi both agreed that while training in rainy conditions would definitely prove useful one day, neither of them were eager to do so, so they spent the day in the little suite Itachi's coin had bought for the week, Sakura practising her chakra control and Itachi meditating, the two of them enjoying the companionable silence.

When it was time for bed, they both hunkered down in the single, Sakura encased in Itachi's arms so they could both fit. It was warm and safe and she slept better than usual, no nightmares. She woke at dawn, pinks and oranges creeping over the horizon, to find Itachi's fingers tracing the outline of her face, not touching, but hovering over her nose, eyes and mouth, as though he was drawing her likeness in the air. There was another blanket over Sakura that kept the two of them separate, a layer of material that made him just a mass of warmth behind her. The arms around her were sleeved and his hold was chaste, careful. She was sixteen and it hurt to be so close yet so far away in a manner it never used to. When she was a little younger, sharing beds or throwing him a towel was awkward but necessary. Now it felt like she was getting a glimpse of what she could never have.

But still, she felt safe and warm with him next to her, his breathing steady and slow. She fancied she could hear his heartbeat too, as stable and predictable as him. She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

A person like that just couldn't be evil. He wasn't capable of it.

She had told Tsunade and the others whatever she thought would satisfy them, offering them truth mixed with a little fabrication to make her story plausible. She had not been afraid when Ino's father had sat in front of her and smiled reassuringly.

Konan had been clever enough to know what to do to prevent information on Akatsuki leaving Sakura's head.

xxxxxxxx

In the golden light of the afternoon sunshine, Umeko spread out her belongings and began to methodically place them in suitable piles. The folded, unused silk dresses her mother had pointedly packed for her when she first left now lay on her bed, bathed in the light from her window. None of them were right for her, not even back then, a half-wild, awkward child. Silk could not clothe stone, she would think to herself, and usually feel better. As the years had gone by, she had outgrown the dresses and had never replaced them. Her mother would be furious. Perhaps she should quickly go out to the market and buy some replacements?

She glanced out of the window at the men hauling boxes of cargo onto wagons and gave a small, inaudible sigh. No. She would only buy the wrong sort of dress and have to face her mother's scorn as well as her wrath.

After the first few months in Konoha, she had packed her things up like she did now, only that time she did so with tears in her eyes and a heavy heart. She had been resigned to her failure, her teammates cold and unfriendly, her sensei quitting soon after she arrived, the villagers strange and often rude. That time, she had given up and flung her trunk back in her wardrobe, the stupid silk dresses spilling out onto the floor.

This time, she knew she had no choice.

She was only temporary, after all.

Sakura had returned and, although she did not seem happy about it, she was clearly there to stay. Her ordeal was over and her teammates would be thrilled to welcome her back.

Umeko sat on the bed and bent over, head in her hands.

She would have to lie to her mother. She pictured it, breathing shallowly into her palms, trying to stave off tears.

"I spent most of my time training with my teammates," She would say to her, "Naruto and Sasuke. We became good friends. I rarely had a minute to myself, I was so busy. We went on lots of missions together, and I did so well, you would have been proud to see it. Konoha was nice and everyone there was friendly to me. You were right, they don't hate Iwa like everyone says they do. We're well-respected there. I had a great four years."

How could she possibly say that to her? Lying was not something she was good at. But then again, imagining the opposite was far less pleasant. Admitting she usually trained alone or with Anko, that Naruto and Sasuke barely tolerated her, that she often walked the streets of Konoha aimlessly because she had nothing to do, that she always seemed to screw up on every mission they went on, that everyone in Konoha either despised her or ignored her, that they spoke of Iwa like a curse… that the last four years were the loneliest of her life…

No. She couldn't do it.

She raised her head.

After a few minutes she had paper and an idea of what to write.

Dear Mother,

The shinobi I was sent here to replace has returned. Normally in this case, my mission would be complete and I would be sent back to my village. However, the circumstances of her absence are more complicated than assumed – it involves a missing-nin, somehow – and she will not be allowed to resume her previous status straightaway. This means the team still needs me here. I wish I could return, but my duty requires me to stay. My sincere apologies, Mother.

I know you want me to do the exercises every day, and I have whenever time permits, so do not worry. Today I practised pouring tea and receiving guests. I did well, I believe. I did not spill the tea and my guests seemed content enough.

I hope this letter finds you well.

I will see you another day, it seems.

Umeko.

She finished the letter and rolled it up in her hands. She looked around the empty apartment, the only sounds the crickets chirping outside and the general babble from the crowds of people in the market.

She stood, resting her hands on the countertop. "I need to buy a kettle." She decided, glancing up and down the counter.

She rifled through her pocket, coins spilling into her hand from the worn purse she'd brought from Iwa, previously bulging from the money her mother had pressed onto her. She counted a few silvers out and gave a deep, heartfelt sigh.

Her emergency fund lay hidden beneath the rotten floorboards, but she dared not touch it in case something ever happened and she had real need of it.

She unpacked the tea set her mother had given her when she was ten and set it all up, deciding she would have to make do without the kettle.

She held the cup carefully, little finger splayed out underneath to keep it steady, and practised the motion of pouring. She giggled, feeling like a child at play.

The porcelain slipped through her fingers and shattered on the floor.

She gazed at it for a few long seconds, then burst into tears.

xxxxxxxx

Her mother had been overjoyed to see her. Sakura had explained she had been travelling when her old teammates had come across her and they'd all come back to Konoha together. She accepted the story without a flicker of suspicion or doubt, and immediately fixed her favourite meal.

Now, at night, Sakura sat and waited.

A crow sat beside her on the bed.

"You think he'll come tonight, do you?" Merle asked in her peculiar, chirping voice.

"I hope he does." Sakura whispered back.

"Whatever happens, you know I'm loyal to you and only you," Merle reminded her, "If he attacks, I'll tear his face off. Him and his clucking friend, I'll beat the feathers off of him."

"So quick to resort to violence," Sakura grinned, "I'm hoping you won't have to. If he does turn violent, leave Raban alone. He's an old crow."

"That he is!" Merle squawked with laughter, not noticing Sakura's desperate attempts to shush her.

"Haruno Merletta, if I have to remind you to keep it down one more time…" She chastised her. The crow shuffled on the bed, grooming her wings nonchalantly.

"That full name thing stopped scaring me when I was a hatchling," Merle informed her, "When you were an innocent little thing, too afraid to cut yourself for a seal!"

"Shut up, that was one time." Sakura glared at her.

Something tapped her window.

"Who is it?!" Merle rasped, dancing on the bed aggressively, "I'll peck their eyes out!"

Sakura shoved a pillow at her, ignoring her indignant squawk, and moved towards the window.

Raban's beak gleamed in the moonlight. She looked up. Itachi's silhouette was barely visible, watching her through the glass.

"Sakura?" Merle asked, "Friend or foe?"

Sakura's hand hovered over the window's latch.

"I don't know."


	4. Chapter 4

Itachi's face was half in shadow from where the moonlight touched it, inclined towards the window. His eyelids were heavy, as though he was tired, just a gleam where his eye should be. From what she could see, it was black, not red. A neat triangle of darkness cut the shape of his cheekbone – he moved and the shadow moved with him, falling across the bridge of his nose, half-caressing his mouth.

He was close to her now, too close for comfort, close enough to comfort, if that was what he wanted. His hand fluttered at her cheek, catching a few pink strands. She swallowed back a gasp, unsure of what exactly was driving her away, making her take steps backwards – fear?

His hand caught the curve of her cheekbone and stayed there, his thumb rubbing against the slight jut, the dip where skin met bone, his eyes so intent and still gleaming from the moonlight.

"I asked you to run away with me once," He said, the words barely there, his lips mouthing them quietly and she took comfort in the hope that this closeness, this moment, whatever it was, was unsettling him too.

His thumb kept gently stroking along her cheek, fingers hooked under her chin as though he was reassuring himself that she was still there, still real.

"You were going to say no. You changed your mind," He leant closer still, his gleaming eyes and wet mouth all she could see, "You must know what I've done by now. You must hate me. You shouldn't want to come back with me. But… can I change your mind?" The last few words were spoken softly into her ear, his fingers trembling just a little at her chin.

"This," Sakura managed to say, struggling with the white-hot fury that wanted to rise up, "is the cruellest thing you've ever done to me, sensei."

He jerked back, his eyes a fraction wider, licking his lips into a frown, "I don't understand –"

"Of course you don't." Sakura said tiredly, rubbing her face furiously where she could still feel the echo of his touch, "You don't feel the way I do. You don't suffer from the usual human indelicacies. You are a perfect, flawless man. You aren't even real, are you?" And now she was crying, her throat squeezing tight and hot tears begin to pour, "Everything – it was all pretend. My sensei was a lie. I was just a –"

"No." He said, dark and fierce, both hands now holding her head tight, his forehead brushing against hers as he moved. "No, it wasn't. I do care about you. How could I not?"

"Crueller still," She laughed, his thumbs brushing away her tears, "You don't care for me like I do you, Itachi, and that is why it hurts me when you act like this, like you feel the same as I do."

His thumbs halted. He even stopped breathing for a beat, his eyes wide and searching. Then the moment passed and he let out a breath, releasing her face.

"Don't think you can just whisper pleas in my ear and I'll do your bidding," Sakura said darkly, "Why did you kill your family? Ha! As if I'd go off with you without having a seriously detailed, reasonable explanation for that! Do you really think I'm that stupid? No, don't answer that. Just tell me. Why did you do it?"

Itachi stayed silent.

"No one's given me a reason yet," Sakura continued on as though she hadn't paused in hope of a reply that never came, "Itachi killed his family, did he not tell you? Why did he do it, Sakura? Surely he must have told you. Weren't you important to him at all?"

Sakura's tears glittered in the pale light of the moon as they trembled, dancing on her eyelashes. She blinked, hard, and they were shed noiselessly. She hadn't cried much over the past few years. She couldn't help associating them with her past weakness. Even in the brief moments when the sadness became too much for her, when she cried to herself in bed, thinking of her mother, her friends, she still had Itachi to hold her hand as she did so, soothing the ache.

Itachi's hands clenched, but remained at his sides. Did he fear he had lost the right to comfort her?

"Tell me." She implored, staring into his eyes beseechingly.

Nothing.

She moved closer to him and he jerked backwards, suddenly skittish. She stared, incredulous.

"OK," She took a deep breath, struggling as her long buried quick temper flared up, "Show me. Show me your Sharingan."

The final proof.

Irrefutable evidence that he was an Uchiha, Sasuke's brother, and that he had been lying to her from the start.

But also, a perfect way for Sakura to prove her trust in him, by leaving herself defenceless. To stare into his eyes, completely vulnerable, at his mercy.

The only change in his expression was an infinitesimal flicker of movement at his mouth, his lip distorting as his teeth gently worried at the flesh. His eyes on her face felt like a hot, weighted presence.

"Do it." She dared, begged, her large green eyes trustingly gazing into his.

He surged forward suddenly, hands half-raising to her face, but something stopped him and he simply stood there, awkward in the wake of his aborted move, eyes still frustratingly black and normal.

"Sakura, I –"

"Don't talk to me if you aren't going to explain anything. Just show me."

Slowly, painfully slowly, as though he didn't want to spook her, black melted away bit by bit to reveal red.

Sakura sucked in a breath sharply, gaze caught by the weight of his beautiful eyes. Uchiha eyes. Just like Sasuke's, but edged with Itachi's distinctively long lashes.

It was true.

And with that, her last dim hope died down into nothing.

Itachi looked cautious, wary even, perhaps expecting her to strike out at him or cry.

"I'm sorry," He said, "I can't tell you anything."

"What did you tell Sasuke?"

"Excuse me?"

"What did you tell Sasuke, when he interrupted you killing your family? What excuse did you use?"

Itachi shifted, the shadows on his face rippling, "I said I wanted to measure my strength."

Sakura laughed harshly, then felt startled by her own response. Evidently Itachi felt the same, judging by his frown.

Merle and Raban shifted on her bed, feathers ruffling quietly.

"'I'm a pacifist, Sakura," She quoted, grinning mirthlessly, "Killing is wrong.' You know, I always wondered how someone who hated fighting so much could be so strong, but now I see. You did all your training in one night. Smart. Very practical of you, sensei. Do you remember telling me that killing people made you just like them? Well, what are you now? What did your family make you into?"

She leaned forward, whispering, "You can't fool me."

Itachi swallowed, scarlet eyes on her mouth.

"I saw Sasuke's memories. I saw you kill his parents. I saw how you tormented Sasuke. But I also saw you for four years. Four whole years in which you never behaved as you did on that night. You taught me to respect life and not to kill indiscriminately. You taught me killing is weakness, not strength. Strange that you would do that if you honestly killed them all for your own gain. Why not raise a bloodthirsty student to be of use to you? Why didn't you use me to hurt Sasuke? It comes down to two options, logically. One, you murdered your entire family overnight on a whim and simply chose to train a little girl to be as gentle as possible for unknown, probably illogical reasons, which would indicate some form of psychosis. I'm ruling that one out based on lack of evidence. Two, you did indeed kill your family, but for someone else. For your own gain? No. For their gain? Maybe. But why would you go so far as to murder your family for someone unknown party? Blackmail? Unlikely. Threats? Please. Money? You don't have any. Akatsuki? More likely. However, killing them all as a mission from that organisation would still require some kind of psychosis or at the very least, immorality. I also doubt Akatsuki recruited you as a core member from that age. But here's where I get stuck: what did your family do that forced you to kill them? Why did you do it?"

Itachi couldn't seem to speak, so she continued.

"I always planned to return to Konoha. I wanted to get stronger, I have. I can protect my loved ones now. So it doesn't matter if you tell me why or not. I still won't go back with you. It doesn't matter if you killed them to measure your strength or if you had better reasons," Sakura lowered her voice, anger seeping into her previously calm voice, "You still killed them. You are the reason for Sasuke's pain, the sole reason. You lied to me for years and used me. And now, you won't even do me the courtesy of giving me a reason. So no, sensei, I won't go with you. I don't hate you. I don't think I ever could. But for now…"

Itachi's hands pressed against the wall, either side of her head. He looked down at her, his red eyes glowing in the darkness, his expression tight, yet inscrutable.

"Are you going to ask me to leave you behind?" He said dangerously, moving his face closer to hers.

Sakura ignored her traitorous heart pumping furiously at his proximity. "No. I don't have to ask, do I? You wouldn't kidnap me. You aren't like what they think you are. I've got you all figured out. Everything you've ever done for me has been in my best interests. You've never tried to hurt me. I'm not an idiot, Itachi."

Itachi leaned yet closer, "Did you mean what you said? Earlier…"

"That's what you're focusing on?" Sakura said incredulously, "That? You'll talk about my feelings but you won't explain your part in eliminating yours and Sasuke's family?"

"There have been times," Itachi said, something silky and foreign coating his voice, making him lower his head and half-close his eyes, "That I have looked at you and wondered how I have not destroyed you yet. That something so pure and innocent should have anything to do with me… seems wrong. Everything I touch is warped, twisted or destroyed. I have been selfish. I should never have taken you away from your family, your life. Every day I could have done something…"

"Something." Sakura repeated flatly, looking unimpressed, "Sensei, I don't care what you think about yourself. You're wrong. Even you're wrong sometimes, you know. You aren't… evil and selfish or whatever. You're kind. And you didn't take me away, thank you very much! I make my own decisions and take responsibility for them!"

"You don't understand," Itachi murmured, looking tortured, "You're so young, you couldn't possibly –"

"Shut up!" Sakura hissed, outraged, "I'm sixteen! I'm old enough to do all sorts of things!"

Itachi's shoulders shook, as though he was laughing silently. He moved back, running his hands through his hair, "Yes. Sixteen. I agree that you should stay here. It's for the best that you are separated from me, if only for a little while. I only want your happiness, Sakura. Sometimes I think that is the only thing I have ever truly wanted. You are a remarkable young woman."

"Don't start complimenting me," Sakura warned, "because compliments usually start goodbyes off, don't they? You've been great but I've got to go. It'll be difficult because I bet they'll watch me for a little while, just to make sure you don't try anything, but we can still see each other, I'm sure."

"Sakura," Itachi said, resting his head against his elbow, leaning on the wall, "You've never asked me what kind of organisation Akatsuki is."

"I'm sure I can guess," Sakura said primly, "You don't sit around making daisy chains, I bet. And yet you're a pacifist," She grinned suddenly, watching his eyes widen, "You'll have to tell me how you reconcile your job with your morals one day."

"With long showers," He replied, "And a lot of guilt."

"I'm sure it's necessary, for whatever reason you have."

"Sakura. I am a missing-nin."

"That isn't news to me, you know."

"I'm not… you shouldn't be so calm about this."

"What, would you rather I screamed a little? Threw things at you? What would that achieve? Sure, I'm mad as hell and curious, but I'm not going to push you. I've spent a long time with you. I respect your privacy."

"I slaughtered my entire family."

"Yeah, and the reasons you gave don't add up," Sakura said, her voice hardening, "Nothing you do now makes sense when you compare it with what you did then. One has to be a lie."

"What if it's this? What if the present me, the one you know, is the lie?"

"Then I'll devastated," Sakura said simply, "and you might kill me one day. Or worse."

"And you are fine with that uncertainty?"

"No. Because I am certain. I know you. I believe in you. And I'll figure it out," She winked, "Just give me a few days. I'll find out and then it won't matter that you didn't tell me. I'll know anyway. And all of this uncertainty, this doubt, will vanish."

"Things…" He sounded a little desperate, "Things don't always go how you imagine they will."

"Who's imagining?" She frowned, "I am plotting. There is a unique difference in definitions there."

"Oh, Sakura." He said hopelessly, because even he had off-days in which he talked down to her because he was a 'proper adult' and she was some half-formed one, like a mutant child crossed with an adult, and couldn't possibly have any common sense. OK, so she was a little angry with him.

"Shut up." She said again, pushing lightly at his chest. "You are not the only person in the world who can make impulsive decisions, OK? This is mine. I trust you, you big, lying murderer, and I know you trust me. So stop overcomplicating things with your stupid self-esteem. Or lack thereof."

"You didn't seem to trust me when you blew up our cabin."

"Permit me my brief moment of madness. Sasuke-kun had just shown me his memories of that night and there was some emotional transference. You really screwed him up, you know." She shifted on the spot.

"…I know." He replied, his tone resigned.

"I'll miss that cabin," Sakura said, smiling, "Lots of good memories there."

Itachi nodded, his eyes crinkling upwards, "Yes."

"Hey, sensei," Sakura said, her voice low and tense, "There was a thing you used to do. You would, like, trace my face with your fingers at night, but you wouldn't touch me. What was that about?"

Itachi's eyebrows twitched. He slowly, deliberately, curved a hand around her cheek, the sudden contact making her shiver.

"An exercise in self-control," He said simply, "something I am normally very skilled at."

"Self-control?" Sakura repeated, confused.

Itachi's palm was warm against her face.

"Normally." He whispered, ducking his head down once more, his fingers gently tilting her face upwards.

His thumb accidently swiped across her lip and she opened her mouth, startled, to say something, and he leapt backwards as though scalded.

"Eh, sensei?" She rubbed her mouth, curious at the tingling sensation in her flesh, "What happened?"

Itachi's hands disappeared into his pockets and he turned his face away.

"Taking advantage," He muttered, and shook his head, "I'm sorry."

"Taking advantage…" She continued, baffled, "…of my face?"

Itachi's shoulders slumped.

"Sixteen," Raban croaked, sounding oddly smug and knowing, "And rather sweetly naïve at that."

"I am right here." Sakura glared at him.

"I don't get it," Merle hopped closer to Raban, idly pecking at his wing, "Has no one ever given you the talk –"

Raban thrust his wing into her face, making her squawk in indignant rage.

"Sakura?" Her mother called, "Is your bedroom window open? I can hear crows."

"Oh, you're right. Sorry!" Sakura called back, "I'll close it now."

"Good. Lock it, too, OK? I worry about you, you have no concept of danger sometimes…"

"Mum, I'm a shinobi!" Sakura snapped.

"…I know." Her mother said absently, her bedroom door clicking shut behind her.

Throughout the brief conversation, Itachi had been tense, eyes darting from the window to the door.

"You should probably go," Sakura murmured, "She'd beat you with a broom if she caught you in here, even if you are a missing-nin. I don't even want to think what my grandmother would do to you. Probably chastise you about the length of your hair. I can see it now," She put on a tough granny voice, "Young man, you are prettier than my granddaughter! Have some pride! Cut that hair and stop painting your nails!"

Itachi examined his nails indifferently, but headed to the window all the same, clearly heeding her warning.

"I'll see you again." Sakura said firmly, sitting back down on her bed. Raban draped his wing over her cheek affectionately, then flapped over to Itachi's shoulder.

He stood there at the window, bathed in moonlight with a crow's wings for a collar, looking for all the world like a character from a storybook. He hadn't switched off his Sharingan, in fact, they spun slowly as he climbed out of the window onto the ledge.

"Sleep well," He said softly, "and have pleasant dreams."

Sakura felt drowsy, so she laid down her head upon her pillow, absently curving an arm around Merle, who stiffened but put up with it.

"Goodnight, Itachi." She said, closing her eyes.

A slight pause. She could hear the leaves rustling in the wind and the chirp of active insects.

She felt a pressure against her forehead, something warm and brief, somehow comforting, then sleep gripped her and she knew no more.

After Sakura slumped over, fast asleep and breathing evenly, Itachi moved away from her bed again.

Merle's sharp, beady eyes peered out from underneath Sakura's arm.

"If you hurt her," She said clearly, "I will peck out your eyes."

"Then, I leave her in your care, Merle-san." Itachi said mildly.

Merle croaked something rude and snuggled up to Sakura's cheek, enjoying her warmth. Itachi slipped out silently.

xxxxxxxx

Konoha had such lovely weather sometimes, Umeko thought, beaming to herself. The sky was cornflower blue and her bare arms felt wonderfully warm in the sun. Iwa's weather was usually stormy or just mild. She still found the sunny weather here refreshing.

She swung her shopping bags as she walked, smiling at those she passed.

I'm going to stay here, she thought, for as long as possible. I won't leave until I absolutely have to. I can't, not until I've achieved my mission. Iwa nin do not give up and they do not fail. There is only success.

So! She clenched her fist in determination, the plastic strap squeaking in her palm. She would begin with changing Konoha's view of Iwa. She would become more helpful to people, she decided. She would show them all that Iwa was a good village, with good people.

Someone sat on a bench under a large tree, still and silent in the warm shade. It was Aburame Shino, one of the nin who assisted in Operation Retrieve Sakura. His entire body was covered by his clothes, his eyes shaded by dark glasses. Umeko squeezed her bags, excited. She would begin her mission right now!

She approached him, her bags rustling quietly with every step. His head did not turn at her arrival. In fact, he hardly seemed to notice her presence.

"H-hello, Aburame-san," Umeko began, a little awkward, "If it is not too much trouble, may I join you?"

Shino's shoulders moved upwards as he took in a deep breath, then he slid over slightly to free up more room on the bench.

"It's… it's a very nice day, isn't it?" Umeko said brightly, "But I suppose you might be a little hot. Is it uncomfortable? I'm sure I have a portable fan on me somewhere…" She began to scramble through her pockets, bags pooled at her feet.

Shino gave a very slight chuckle.

"It is fine. I am not hot." He said succinctly.

"Oh, I didn't introduce myself before, on the mission, did I?" Umeko felt flustered at the sound of the amusement in his voice and her own worry of accidentally offending someone.

"You are Yamaguchi Umeko," Shino said crisply, "The replacement for Haruno Sakura, sent by Iwa as an olive branch."

"I am not an olive branch." Umeko replied, feeling oddly defensive, wondering if it was some local insult.

Shino's shoulders twitched.

"I suppose not. What were you shopping for?"

Umeko bent down, stomach meeting her thighs as she searched through the bags with a pleased grin.

"Well, I've needed a kettle for around four years," She explained, holding up the second-hand kettle with the wonky flower painted on the side, "But I was always worried about the extra expense."

Shino's head turned her way. He was silent for a beat, apparently staring from behind his glasses.

"You went to Yoshida's, didn't you?"

"Eh? Um, I believe that was the name of the shop…"

"It's trash," He said bluntly, "Yoshida only sells things he gets for free. You should have gone to the Kirijo's shop, near the Hyuuga residential area. They have cheap prices for good quality items."

Umeko looked at her kettle, aghast, "Really? Oh dear… he said it was cordless, but I wasn't sure how it worked… It took me so long to persuade myself to buy it, too! I lingered for hours!"

"Does your job not pay well?" Shino asked, a strangely superfluous question, considering he had the same job and presumably the same pay – oh. Sarcasm.

"No, it does, it does! I just worry," She confessed, "I worry about my expenses a lot. I'm always terrified of running out of money. I carry a list with me, with all of this month's allocated finances listed as well as the bills I have to pay and –"

Shino snapped his fingers at her, his hand outstretched.

"Ah! Yes, one moment!" She complied, retrieving a crumpled slip of paper and handing it to him.

Shino slumped on the bench, tilting his head up to read it.

After a while, he took a fine, expensive-looking fountain pen out and began to cross out words and replace numbers.

Umeko sat clutching the rest of her shopping as Shino methodically corrected her finances. Her expenses seemed to be falling whilst her spending money rose. She was left amazed by the speed of his pen, the lack of hesitation he displayed before amending a sum.

"Aburame-san… You seem to be awfully thrifty." She said admiringly, "I'm awful with money."

"Yes, you are." Shino said casually, "Did you know you currently have two separate pensions you do not need and yet have been faithfully paying into every month for the past two years?"

Umeko stared at him blankly.

"No?" She said, stunned.

"You'll need to cancel them. And you show an excess in your usage of water, whereas you do not seem to spend as much as one person requires for your average monthly grocery shopping. I have changed the apportionment of your expenditure as a result. I believe you will find yourself with more finances to worry over now."

He handed her the paper back, something in his demeanour like a smile.

"Th-thank you very much! That was very kind!"

Shino shrugged. "You will have to take that kettle back and buy a better one from Kirijo's. I will accompany you, if you don't mind."

Umeko bolted up from the bench, seizing her bags and turning to him with a wide, grateful grin, "Of course not! By all means, come with me!" She was doing it, she thought happily, making friends!

Shino paused, his hand drifting out, like a pale spider emerging from his sleeve.

A butterfly landed on his outstretched finger. Umeko stared, a girlish kind of glee seizing her at the sight of the beautiful insect.

Shino made an amused sound, moving his hand over to her face.

Umeko ghosted a fingertip over one fluttering wing, her face lighting up with a delighted beam.

Smoke curled around their ankles. Instant transportation, she thought automatically, turning. The butterfly flew away.

Kakashi stood behind her, hands in his pockets.

"Yo," He said, "Hokage wants us to have a meeting about Sakura's prospects. You have to be included, unfortunately."

His tone was resentful, hard.

Shino stiffened.

Umeko tightened her grip on her bags, broken kettle and all, but nodded.

"D-did she say why I was needed?"

"Something about Team 7 being reformed," Kakashi said pointedly, "With all three original members, I presume."

Umeko felt her throat tighten. Her eyes itched.

"Then I suppose… I must be going back to Iwa. To home." She said, trying not to crumple, trying to remain strong. My spine is stone, "It looks as though I don't need a kettle after all, Aburame-san. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

He rubbed his cloth-covered chin thoughtfully, "I wonder… It seems a waste."

"I'm sorry," She said again, mouth quivering, "I didn't mean to –"

"I meant," Shino raised his head, seemingly looking at both her and Kakashi, "It seems a waste of an exceptional shinobi, to toss her aside the moment the less reliable one returns."

"Sakura is not –" Kakashi began to say coolly, before Shino turned his back.

"I doubt either of us is qualified to say anything about Sakura's qualities, or lack thereof, considering her absence. However, I would consider it my place to assert my belief in Umeko's qualities, despite such a short acquaintance. I know which one I would choose." He said meaningfully, that hint of amusement back in his voice at Kakashi's irritated tut.

Umeko stared, cheeks warming up in the afternoon sun, the plastic straps cutting into her fingers.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a thin-lipped, irritated Tsunade who ushered them into the room, a nervy Shizune at her heels. Kakashi strode in with his usual nonchalance. Umeko trailed after him.

Sakura stood in the middle of the room, in front of the desk. She did not turn around at the sound of their arrival. Naruto was bouncing on his toes by the window, close to vibrating with excitement. Anko was leaning against the desk, picking her teeth with an old, chewed dango stick.

Tsunade lowered herself into her seat with an impatient sigh, prodding some papers on the desk Shizune's way until she took them off her hands. The younger woman scanned the pages quickly.

"Team Seven," Tsunade began, "was formed by Kakashi. It was his first genin team. The original members are Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Umeko, Sakura's replacement, has proved to be competent, if somewhat hesitant, member of this squad. Anko has thrown herself into her teaching with admirable enthusiasm, and has, as a result, bumped Naruto and Sasuke's skills up to chuunin-level. In short, the new Team Seven has been improving lately. Sakura's return was unanticipated. Umeko has expressed an interest in staying in Konoha for longer than her mission states and I see no reason to not grant her wish. Therefore, Anko will remain Team Seven's squad leader. Umeko will no longer be considered Sakura's replacement, but an official member of Team Seven. Sasuke and Naruto remain as they are and…" Tsunade's hazel eyes trailed over Sakura, "…Kakashi will begin training Sakura. She will need to take the Chuunin Exam soon. She will begin completing D-rank missions and building her grade up in order to qualify for the entrance exam. That is all."

Kakashi slowly uncrossed his arms and stepped forward, his brows furrowed together, "Let me get this straight. Umeko, the incompetent replacement who was only ever intended to stay until Sakura returned, has somehow wormed her way into Team Seven, replacing Sakura permanently, despite the fact that she is a foreign ninja and in line to inherit an entire clan – what… what could you possibly hope to gain from this? She will leave one day, probably soon –"

"Much like Sakura did," Tsunade nodded, "But with rather more notice, I assume. Genin teams are not established to last until death, Kakashi, you know that. You are crippled by your own desire to revive your old team so that you may feel less of a failure. Unfortunately for you, the village's needs must come before your own. If Umeko does indeed need to leave soon, I see no issue. Sakura will be trained by you to become a competent chuunin in her own right and, if there is ever a hole in Team Seven or another team, she will be allowed to fill it. I am being incredibly generous, in truth. Please do not try me further. They are all sixteen, old enough to begin thinking of their future careers beyond their old genin teams. I will not allow your blind stupidity to hold them back. You may leave, Kakashi. Shizune will brief you outside about the terms of Sakura's training."

Shizune held up the papers and jerked her head towards the door. Kakashi looked from Tsunade to Sakura, breathing heavily, his fists clenched. Sakura's face remained inclined towards the window, her expression the very picture of serenity.

Kakashi brushed past Umeko, ignoring her startled intake of breath. Anko idly twirled her dango stick between her fingers, then her hand shot forward, leaving the stick inches from Kakashi's cloth-covered throat.

"If this was a kunai," She murmured, grinning, "You'd be dead."

"Same here." Kakashi replied. Anko looked down to see his index finger and middle finger pressed against her side.

"Just so we understand each other." Anko said cheerily.

"I get it."

"I don't think you do." Anko leaned closer. Umeko watched the two of them anxiously, "You see, if you keep acting like an ass to my student, I will either be very good about it, above board, reasonable. I'll report you for cruelty, harassment, plenty of crap, right? But at least that'll be in the daytime, and you'll hear about it when it happens, safe and unharmed. Or, I could take the more fun route. I learned a few things, back with good ol' Oro. He taught me how to use a jutsu to slowly unwind the fabric of someone's mind, bit by bit, so they don't notice. Tweak a little internal logic here, screw up a memory or two there, and you have a severely paranoid, vulnerable little man, locked in his own mind, being attacked by his own guilt complex. I know which one I'd prefer. You'll be the one to decide though – how you treat Umeko, that is." Anko gave a slow, nasty smirk.

Kakashi gave her a measured look, his eyes narrowed, but then he simply left the room, Shizune in tow.

Tsunade rolled her eyes.

"I think he understands now." Anko chewed on the end of the dango stick, eyes narrowed. She ruffled Umeko's hair and gave her a small smile.

"So, Sakura. How do you feel about all this?" Tsunade asked, watching her carefully, "Having to retake the Chuunin exam, not being allowed to re-join Team Seven…"

"It's fair," Sakura said earnestly, "And it's far more than I deserve, considering where I've been these past few years."

Tsunade blinked.

"Well… good. You'll have to be assessed medically to see if you can be deemed fit to fight or not, then we'll ask you to display your skills for Kakashi to judge your ability. And Sakura," Tsunade's smile turned strangely sympathetic. There was something in her eyes that reminded Sakura of her mother. She shifted, discomfited, "When you have your medical check-up, they will have to check for signs of abuse."

Sakura stiffened, her hands scrambling into sweaty fists. No. She would not permit –

"Do you want to have the rest of this conversation in private?" Tsunade asked, her eyes still warmly maternal and compassionate.

Sakura felt a muscle in her jaw spasm and leap, and nodded, feeling strangely close to tears.

Tsunade jerked her head towards the door. Umeko and Anko immediately left, but Naruto and Sasuke trailed behind, the former looking uncertain, the latter expressionless.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto said, looking truly perplexed. Sasuke shoved his shoulder. He ricocheted off the doorframe and span around, ready to retaliate, but something in Sasuke's expression made him leave without a fuss.

Sasuke's hand twitched inches from Sakura's arm, but he curled his fingers into a fist and stared stubbornly ahead, avoiding her eyes, "I'm going to kill him one day." He said with quiet, assured certainty.

Sakura knew instinctively he was not talking about Naruto, and felt her stomach drop.

"I'd stop you." Sakura replied softly.

"We'll see if you could," Sasuke shrugged one shoulder carelessly, still not looking at her, "The dobe and I will be there to watch your training."

"If you kill him, you'd be killing me too."

"It'd be a kindness," Sasuke snarled, "After what he's done to you."

Sakura recoiled as if struck, shock stealing her next retort away, he's not what you think he is.

"That's enough," Tsunade snapped, "Out, now."

Sasuke opened the door to leave and for a brief moment, Sakura heard a snatch of the conversation outside – "But what if he really did hurt Sakura-san in that way?" Umeko was saying, sounding distressed, "What should we do?"

Sasuke moved through the doorway and Sakura only heard half of his answering reply before he shut the door behind him, "I make him pay –"

Sakura found herself alone in the office, her fists still tightly clenched.

"He really thinks I'd be better off dead?" Sakura murmured, "Just for being with Itachi for a few years?"

"I imagine his life being spared didn't seem like a kindness back then," Tsunade said, "And he must be imagining the worst when it comes to your situation."

"He's wrong." Sakura said resolutely.

"You still need to be examined, Sakura. We have to be sure. I imagine from your side of things it seems unfair, a pointless humiliation, but consider all the other people who believe the same, not realising what they have actually suffered? I've seen a lot of patients convinced the same people who beat them black and blue couldn't help themselves. If I made exceptions for those people, would they thank me later?"

"I'm not like them," Sakura insisted, "He never touched me."

"So you claim," Tsunade said, eyes sharp now, "But have you considered that the Sharingan can sometimes be used to erase memories?"

Sakura stopped breathing.

"I'm sorry. I'll have someone escort you to the hospital. They'll treat you well, I promise."

xxxxxxxx

They gave her some standard-issue slippers and a thin gown that had to be fastened up at the back. She stood, shivering, in a white room. There was no description that fit it except for white – the walls and floor were the same bare colour, and there were no paintings or decorations to lighten up the clinical atmosphere.

Sakura shivered again, just in time for a doctor to enter the room.

"Hello there," The man said cheerfully, waving a gloved hand, "I'm Inoue Ryouta. Please call me Ryouta! I will not be the one examining you, I'm just here to ask some routine questions. Is that alright with you?"

Sakura gave a wary nod, sitting down in the chair he indicated.

"Well!" He began, flipping through a clipboard's papers, "It looks as though your last health check-up gave you a clean bill of health. Let's hope you can do it again!"

She found herself disliking his upbeat, cheery manner. It seemed a little forced. And she didn't like her health being made into a competition. She couldn't alter the results beyond what her body displayed, so how could she 'do it again?'

She sighed, wondering if she was being too harsh.

"Right! We'll start with a biggie. Oh, um, that means 'big question.' I get in trouble for my silly vocabulary all the time, I seem to confuse everyone except children," He coughed, "Here's the question. Have you suffered any severe injuries or illnesses in the past few years?"

"Yes." Sakura said.

"Could you elaborate?"

"I nearly died of blood loss once. I had an infection. I didn't die."

"Good, good," He said absently, "Anything else?"

"No."

"Good! Have you experienced any traumatic events over the last few years?"

Sakura gave him a look, eyebrow raised, "Not until recently."

"Could you describe this experience?"

"My entire life was ripped out from underneath me and revealed to be a lie," Sakura said tonelessly, "My companion turned out to be an S-ranked missing-nin who had murdered my friend's family."

Ryouta blinked and then began rapidly flipping through his notes.

"They… um. Your name isn't Akiyama Hikari, is it."

"No. I'm Haruno Sakura." Sakura replied, even more unimpressed with the thin man.

He flipped through the notes more frantically. "Oh. Here you are. I had the wrong page, I'm ever so sorry! I thought this was just a routine check-up! I was about to ask if you often suffered from headaches! Oh God."

Sakura surprised herself by giggling at his obvious embarrassment. He gave a wry smile.

"That explains why you kept looking at me like I was a moron," Ryouta scratched the back of his head, looking awkward, "I thought it was just, um, me being me. I'm really sorry, I've been working through the night and I'm beginning to see double, so…"

"I understand," Sakura said, "Did you have very different questions for me?"

"Oh, no. I just have to examine you, according to this bit of paper," He held it up to his face and squinted, "Um. Oh," He blushed, "No, I'll get a woman doctor f-for the second part. Is that OK with you?"

"Honestly? I'd rather I didn't have to be examined at all." Sakura sighed deeply.

Ryouta blinked at her again, "Oh, it must be awfully embarrassing. I know. I had to have – no I won't tell you that, you don't need to know. Sorry. I just, um. I'll look you over, if that's OK?"

He sounded so anxious that Sakura smiled at him, standing up. She would try to minimise the embarrassment for both of them, if possible.

"If you could just, um, l-lie down on that table for me, then I will begin, OK?"

Sakura nodded, complying without hesitation. The tension left his shoulders and he grinned, some of his easy cheerfulness coming back to him.

His hands glowed blue and he gently began to move them over Sakura's prone body, not touching her at all. This close, she noticed the bags under his eyes and the pale tinge to his skin. He looked completely exhausted, and she wondered if that might interfere with the results.

Once he had finished her front, he requested that she turn on her back, and he began the process anew. She felt the slightest tingling in her side, but it was over as soon as it began.

"Right!" He said, "I'm done. I cleared up a scar on your side, it could have caused poor blood flow. I think? I feel very odd all of a sudden. Do you mind if I just sit down –"

Sakura dove off the table as Ryouta pitched towards the floor, managing to grab his arm and hook her foot under his chest, preventing him from smacking his face off the floor.

"Well I guess your reflexes are fine," He slurred, offering her a winning smile despite looking ready to faint again, "I'm very tired right now."

"As professional as this is," Sakura rolled her eyes, "I think my examination's finished now, don't you?"

She helped him to his feet. He swayed slightly, then steadied himself, placing a hand against the wall, "Thank you. I'm awfully sorry, I've never done that at work before!"

"But you've done it elsewhere?" Sakura asked doubtfully.

"Oh yes, sometimes I just keel over when I walk home from work. Woke up to find a homeless man having an in-depth conversation with me and a nearby squirrel. Of course I had to invite him in for tea after –"

"That," Sakura paused meaningfully, "is the stupidest behaviour ever, coming from a doctor."

"Student nurse, actually," He gave a sheepish smile, "I wanted to be a medic, but then I might have to be on the battlefield and… well… I'd die."

"I wanted to be a medic once," Sakura smiled, remembering the vague thoughts she'd had as a child, "I liked the idea of healing."

Ryouta gave her an assessing look, "As it happens, from your file I'd say you are quite suited to being a medic. Why don't you give it a try?"

"I have to train up and start doing D-rank missions and then I have to take the Chuunin exam…" Sakura ran a hand through her hair, wincing as she tugged at a knot.

"I could teach you!" Ryouta suggested, beaming.

"You don't seem to have enough time to sleep, let alone teach me."

"No, I do, honestly! I just have to cover people's shifts a lot, but I would definitely have time to teach you. And it might give you an edge in the Exam!" His eyes crinkled up with his genuine smile, "Go on, be a medic on my behalf so that I might live vicariously through you."

Sakura laughed. Be a medic after all? She imagined it and couldn't help smiling. How Itachi would love this, if she used her talents for healing, not for hurting.

"Well," She said, rubbing her neck, "I'm not against the idea…"

xxxxxxxx

Umeko hadn't expected to be invited to watch Sakura's first training session, but Naruto and Anko had insisted. Sasuke hadn't been there at the time, so Umeko didn't know his opinion on her presence.

"As a rule," Kakashi said, casting an annoyed eye their way, "You shouldn't hang around training areas just to spectate, but I guess it's fine today."

"My students," Anko said, smiling, "My rules."

Kakashi blinked one eye slowly at her, failing to react to her teasing as usual. His eye fell on Umeko, sitting next to her, and he shook his head. Umeko felt her mouth tremble and sat up straight, my spine is stone.

"Now that we're all here – even Umeko – we can begin."

They were in the training grounds, a mass of fields and forests to practice in. Team Seven sat on one of the benches, waiting for the training to begin.

Sakura cocked her head at Kakashi as he stepped towards her.

"What's your problem?" She asked, her voice carrying clear across the field. She had one hand on her hip, her brows raised in interest. Kakashi stopped short.

"Hmm?" He slouched, his hands reflexively heading for his pockets.

Umeko saw Sakura glance her way.

"You're very cranky today." She commented.

"I'm always cranky," Kakashi said, his eye curving up as he smiled, "I just hide it well."

Umeko's chest tightened. She tried to remember seeing Kakashi smile at her, and couldn't. Still, Anko always grinned at her, every day. Umeko stared at Sakura, seeing how fond Kakashi was of her, and began to examine the girl who she could not replace.

Sakura was pretty. She had a delicate kind of beauty. She was on the short side and seemed to be quite mild in temperament. Boys liked that, Umeko noted. Sakura wore a black shirt, hanging loose over her stomach, with a white vest underneath. She had taped her knuckles in preparation for the training. She wore black shorts, her legs bare and showing. Umeko imagined showing off her legs like that, and her shoulders shook in silent laughter. No way. From what she could see, Sakura had defined, light musculature. Her legs looked powerful. Not only that, but her stance was confident. She tossed her head back, squinting as the afternoon sunlight hit her eyes. Umeko sat back on the bench, feeling like she was fading away as this bright, beautiful girl came back to reclaim her life.

Sakura did not look like a girl who had been abused for four years.

She looked happy.

Umeko felt an unexpected stab of envy.

"Let's begin for real now. Destroy these training dummies as completely as possible." Kakashi indicated the wooden figures that came up to his chest, targets painted on their fronts.

Sakura eyed the figures. "OK. I guess everyone should probably move back at little."

They did as she said, though Kakashi and Anko stayed where they were. Naruto was grinning, completely at ease. Sasuke looked uncaring as always.

Sakura examined the figures closely. Umeko thought it looked as though she was muttering equations or measurements to herself. Sakura tapped one, looking satisfied at the hollow noise it made in response.

She carefully broke the top of a figure, leaving a circular, jagged hole in its head, then sprinkled some blossoms into it, leaving the others untouched.

"For the first one I'm going to go for precision." Sakura said idly, standing back, "A controlled explosion should do the trick."

Kakashi made a little approving sound in the back of his throat.

Sakura brought her hands together, palms pointing outwards and then, without any seals or warning, the figure exploded. Sakura's fingers curved inward, the fire and smoke becoming contained within her chakra. She closed her hands into fists and the explosion disappeared.

The figure was nothing more than smouldering ash on the ground, but the grass all around it and every other figure remained untouched.

"Now if I'm being pursued by multiple enemies and need to take them all down at once, a slightly sloppier technique." Sakura said, hands out again.

A massive cloud of cherry blossoms swarmed out, engulfing the figures and, with a hasty jerk of her fingers, they all exploded.

"Oh, we've drawn some attention with our little display." Anko commented, looking towards the west.

Umeko glanced over and saw Team 8 heading their way. Kiba looked jovial even at a distance. Hinata had her head down, her cheeks suffused with red. Shino followed the other two chuunin, gazing at the sky. Kurenai walked at the side, talking lowly, occasionally patting Akamaru on the head.

Sakura turned to see the new arrivals after smothering the explosion, something keen and eager lighting up her features at the sight of them.

Kakashi was examining the smouldering wreck with an amused nod.

"HEY!" Naruto suddenly burst out, "HINATA-CHAN! KIBA, YOU BASTARD, YOU! And Shino too I guess – HINATA-CHAN, HEY!"

Umeko saw Hinata's hands flutter anxiously at her chest now that she was closer. Kiba cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted back, "KEEP IT DOWN YOU NOISY BASTARD!"

"LOOK WHO'S TALKING, DOG-BREATH!"

"WHAT?!"

"YOU HEARD ME!"

"THE WHOLE VILLAGE HEARD YOU, MORON!"

"HEY, I –" Naruto began to retort indignantly. Sasuke slapped a hand over his mouth without even looking.

"For once in your life be quiet, dobe. You're giving me a headache." Sasuke said, smirking.

Naruto screeched some inaudible expletives beneath Sasuke's palm.

"Always the stealthy one," Sakura remarked wryly, shaking her head in amusement, "Guess some things never change."

"Yo!" Kiba said as they came into normal earshot, "We heard some wicked explosions. That was you, huh?"

Sakura shrugged.

"It's been a while," Kurenai said, her expression strange, "I hope you kept practicing your genjutsu."

Umeko wondered who had been told the truth of Sakura's absence, if Kurenai was making a dig at her association with Itachi or not, but Sakura did not seem to be angered by her comment at all.

"I did, Kurenai-sensei." She said respectfully.

How many teachers can one girl have? Umeko thought sullenly.

Shino walked around his teammates, his clothed head swivelling around. Umeko saw an insect land on one of the smoking figures. Did the Aburame clan instinctively seek data on every shinobi, then, or was Shino just overly cautious?

His head turned to face her. Anko gave him a glare, presumably expecting trouble – sometimes a citizen had a bone to pick with her because of Iwa – but Shino held up a hand in greeting.

Umeko returned the gesture, feeling oddly shy. His defence of her had rendered Kakashi speechless, something she was very grateful for.

"Umeko." He said quietly. Kiba's ears pricked up.

"Oi, Shino, you know her?" He stared at Umeko in interest. She gazed back mildly, her purple eyes tracing the interesting marks on his face.

"Somewhat." Shino replied.

"Aburame-san, thank you very much for your assistance yesterday." Umeko said, bowing deeply. Sasuke watched the exchange with atypical curiosity.

Shino shrugged, "It was no trouble. I have an issue with one-sided battles."

Kakashi was watching them closely.

"I-I meant the kettle!"

"So did I." Shino replied, something amused in his body language.

"Anyway," Kiba drawled, clearly growing bored of the conversation, "We heard Sakura was back in town and we thought we should all go out for –"

"Ramen!" Naruto cheered.

"Does it have to be ramen again, really?"

"Yes! I'd eat it every day if I could!"

"You shouldn't!"

"I didn't say I did!"

"I bet you do!"

"I don't!"

"That's because ramen is gross."

"TAKE THAT BACK – mmph!"

Sasuke gave a weary, long-suffering sigh, Naruto straining against his hand.

"You should come too." Shino said, pointing at Umeko.

"Me?" She asked, baffled. Anko yanked her against her side, scraping her knuckles against her scalp.

"Damn right you're coming!" Anko said gleefully.

Kiba gave Anko a dubious look, "Who invited you?"

Sakura watched the conversation with a small, melancholy smile, leaning her elbow on an intact training dummy. Umeko was struck by the idea that Sakura felt just as lonely as she did. Now she felt guilty.

The light of the day had started to fade, so the hard details of the evening like where to eat, when, etcetera, were sorted out quickly.

Umeko knew she was the only one who noticed Sakura staying behind with Kakashi. Shino was striding through the field, the grass coming up to his knees. Umeko stumbled on behind him, trying her best to keep up as the sun began to set, the insects' song quietening down.


	6. Chapter 6

After the noise of the group had faded into the distance, Sakura took a deep breath and rested her elbow on the last intact wooden figure. The light of the day was dimming, the colours of the sky becoming strained and washed-out. The sun rested behind a wall of fluffy, white clouds, its golden rays permeating through and bathing half of the field in soft light.

Kakashi took out a well-thumbed book, its cover lurid orange with a picture of a busty woman. Sakura recognised it immediately, and ducked her head to hide her smile. Some things would never change. Naruto would always be loud, Sasuke would always be quiet and Kakashi would remain a pervert till the end of time. It was a comforting thought.

Still, something about Kakashi had changed, clearly, and someone was suffering for it.

"I don't know Umeko that well," Sakura said casually, flicking the cover of his book and laughing at his scandalised tut, "So I don't know if she's anything more than what she seems. But to me, she seems like a very nice girl who is absolutely terrified of you. Mind explaining that?"

Kakashi turned a page after a moment's hesitation, but his eyes stayed glued to the same sentence as he replied, "She isn't my student. She never was. If she's afraid of me, that's Anko's doing, not mine."

"Do you mind if I call that as a total lie?" Sakura gave him a cheeky grin. He sighed, exasperated. "Look, you don't like Umeko. You insult and belittle her whenever you get the chance. Why?"

"She's meek, quiet and desperate to please. She's weak, she's a liability to her team and she'll get them all killed one day. She comes from a village that I personally have fought against. I'm not the type to hold grudges, but I am the type to be suspicious when a village like Iwa sends a peacekeeper. The Hokage claims to be friends with her mother, but what does that prove? You can't blame me for being cautious."

"Cautious is quietly keeping tabs on her for a few months. What you're doing is being cruel. Give me a reason for it."

Kakashi tugged at his mask. He closed his book. "I'm the reason you left the village with that man." He said hollowly, not looking at her, "I never taught you properly. I favoured the other two. I treated you poorly. I've regretted it to this day. Umeko… Umeko is a constant reminder of that failure. Of my loss."

"Loss? What, like it was some kind of –" Sakura began angrily, but Kakashi simply shook his head.

"No. I lost you, Sakura. We all did," Kakashi said frankly, spreading his palms outwards, the book disappearing somewhere in the recesses of his outfit, "and it was my fault. Then they wanted me to teach some other girl, with Tsunade stressing the delicacy of the situation, she was a political statement I was supposed to handle well, and all I wanted was to make sure you were alive. So I quit. I wanted to go find you, to be honest, but Tsunade saw through my 'retirement' ruse and forbade it. But from then on, every time I saw Team Seven without you, without me, I felt… Well. Not good. I took it out on Umeko. I still do, I guess. She's an easy target. She's too shy and courteous to call me out on my crap." Kakashi admitted, head down.

His body was stiff, unmoving, a sure sign he was trying not show his feelings. With that mask of his, Sakura was sure his friends and colleagues were used to reading the subtle signs of his body language to gauge his emotions, but she herself believed Kakashi hid his face for a reason and so did her best not to analyse the little she could see.

"And," He said quietly, almost too quiet to hear, "when I was younger, just made jounin, obsessed with the rules and cockier than Naruto and Sasuke put together, I had a friend called Obito. He died saving both me and our friend and I…" Kakashi's shoulders gave the slightest shake but Sakura tore her eyes away before he could betray himself, "I never got over it. We were fighting Iwa nin at the time. Even now, the accent brings back memories. I've never once allowed it to interfere with my work, but I didn't know if you were alive or not and… it felt like losing him all over again. You were the same age, an Iwa nin replaced you… It was difficult. I've never attacked an Iwa nin without being told to, and I've never wanted to hurt Umeko. It was never about revenge. It was about guilt."

"It's not about Iwa at all. Obito died to save me. He gave me his eye and my life. I should have known you were going to leave. I should have stopped you, I had my suspicions but I did nothing –"

Kakashi's rant was cut off by Sakura's arms encircling him. She pressed her face into his chest, feeling his body heat melt into hers.

"Really? You were obsessed with the rules?" Sakura smiled. She could feel his laughter vibrating through her and held him tighter. She pulled back, her hands on his shoulders, "Listen to me," She said seriously, "I retired. I left legally, without telling anyone. What could you have done? Nothing. Trust me. I was going to go with Itachi no matter what happened. I wanted to learn things you couldn't teach me."

"Or wouldn't." He added softly, his body slumping into hers.

"Or wouldn't," She agreed, "I'd make an angry speech here about how you never taught me properly, but I think you already know that. And you've felt guilty about it for too long. I confronted you before I left and I was pretty angry about it then, but I'm not anymore. Alright? So stop feeling guilty. And I am deeply, honestly sorry about your friend. I can't imagine the pain you must have felt… still, even today. But you've gotta do something for me to prove that you've changed, OK?"

"Anything," Kakashi said solemnly, "I understand how badly I've screwed up."

"You're going to apologise to Umeko," Sakura said slowly, meaningfully, "and you are going to make an effort to get to know her."

Kakashi stilled, then sighed, "It's the least I owe her. I've been a bastard. I've known it all along. It was hard not to know, every time Gai was around and I said something to Umeko he'd boom something about not 'pruning the flowers of Youth with one's mighty shears.' I've known him long enough to speak his language."

"A worthy skill." Sakura said gravely. Kakashi snorted.

"Ah, but I'm no good at apologies. I'll give it my best shot."

xxxxxxxx

Naruto and Kiba seemed to have bottomless stomachs. No matter how much ramen they shovelled down their throats, they still had enough room to gasp for another bowl, glaring at each other as they did so.

Umeko watched them closely, intensely curious.

They were sitting at a table, squeezed in next to each other, Naruto and Kiba sandwiched at one end, Hinata next to them, her face scarlet, Anko cheerfully scarfing down dango in the middle and on the other side, Umeko sat opposite Naruto, Shino next to her and Sasuke on his right.

Since she had never been in this restaurant before, Umeko took the time to examine it. The tables were all made from the same dark, polished wood, some chipped and worn with age. Lime green placemats and bowls decorated them, reserved tables marked with vases of flowers. Banners adorned the ceiling, functioning as a very long menu. Umeko found herself craning her neck in an attempt to read it all.

"So, Umeko," Naruto piped up, his chopsticks a blur as he expertly twirled noodles around, "What stuff do you eat in Iwa?"

The table's conversation quietened. Its occupants turned to stare in her direction.

It occurred to her that perhaps the residents of Konoha were just as curious about Iwa as she was about their village, so she plucked up the courage to answer Naruto, inwardly grateful for Kakashi's absence.

"Game, mostly," She replied, "Pheasants, and the like. Elk and buffalo. Seasoning is scarce, so it's quite a treat to have. My favourite meal, I'd have to say, is trout. Especially when I go down to the market early in the morning and it's all still fresh, just caught from the river…" She paused, the memories still suddenly present and tangible, the taste of trout on the tip of her tongue. Her eyes felt wet.

Shino's voice, so rarely heard, broke the silence like an explosion, "I enjoy winter melon, myself."

Umeko looked up from her lap, startled, to see him tilting his head in her direction.

"Sweet bean soup is the best," Anko said fervently, quite serious. She paused to nibble at her dango, "And this comes close second."

The table erupted with everyone declaring their favourite foods, Hinata's mumble of "cinnamon rolls are delicious," going unheard in the commotion.

Umeko gazed at Shino, unsure if she should thank him or not – what if the distraction he had provided was just a fortuitous coincidence?

He solved her problem once more by leaning in closer, a slice of pale skin above his glasses becoming visible, and muttering, "From what I hear of Iwa, it appears to be a very accomplished village. It is only natural to miss it." Then, with that comment made, he sat back up, straightening his glasses.

Normally, Umeko would accept the compliment with good grace and a stutter, but something drove her to honesty, "I prefer Konoha." She admitted, lacing her fingers together, a shamed flush across her cheeks.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her arm brushing against Shino's leg. He very gently extricated himself, separating the two of them with great care. She had felt his heat, though, a sort of confirmation that he was made of flesh and blood, just as she was, despite the heavy clothing covering almost every inch of his body.

He was silent for a moment, the faintest sound of an insect's chirp coming from his collar. "Truly?" He asked, a note of interest colouring his voice.

She nodded.

"Then you must stay." He said conclusively, sounding firm.

"I can't, I have to –"

"Umeko, can I have a word?" Kakashi appeared at the edge of the table, his voice the softest she'd ever heard it. Still, she jumped, and Shino's fingers twitched at his sides at the sudden appearance.

However, her mother had drummed manners into her from a young age, and she found herself saying, "Of course, one moment," and she half-stood up, knees meeting the table. She looked at Shino expectantly, waiting for him to move as Sasuke already had, but he sat still for half a minute, just looking at Kakashi.

Finally she could not stand it, and lightly touched his shoulder, "Aburame-san," she said earnestly, "could you –"

"Shino!" Kiba barked, "You deaf bastard. Get up!"

Shino's muscles tensed under Umeko's hand. She felt a tickle and drew back slightly, examining her palm. A beetle with iridescent wings was slowly making its way down towards her wrist. She was fascinated by its progression, missing Hinata's sudden scrutiny. Shino stood up abruptly, moving down the table, clearing enough space for her to leave.

Kakashi had waited patiently throughout all of this, not once snapping or making a barbed comment.

Umeko followed Shino, holding her hand up carefully to avoid knocking the beetle off.

Before she left with Kakashi, she held her hand out to Shino with a slightly shy smile. He touched her palm with only one finger and the little beetle seemed to sense it immediately, fluttering over to him quickly.

"Thank you." He said quietly, the beetle disappearing up his sleeve, "Most people kill them on sight."

xxxxxxxx

Sakura leaned against the wall of the ramen shop, musing on the changes in Konoha. The subtle differences did not surprise her. She had been gone for years, it was only natural a store or two would close, some would open and some would be knocked down all together. It was what had stayed the same that startled her. The same woman made the same rounds through the market, picking up the same groceries and going home via the same route as always. The scent of ramen cooking on the air. The familiar yet strange warm breeze that lifted the leaves of the trees overhead.

Overall, Konoha was… strange.

"Sakura?" A light, feminine voice called through a crowd of people, once, then again, more urgently, "Sakura!"

She took a step forward, confused and alert, her eyes flicking around – she did not recognise that voice.

The crowd surged forward and a pale, lithe figure broke through.

Sakura's stomach swooped in astonished recognition.

Ino.

Tall, graceful in movement and older, not the twelve year old she remembered at all… but unmistakeably Ino, from her platinum blonde hair to her pale blue eyes.

"You bitch!" Ino aimed a half-hearted punch at her shoulder, her face screwed up in anger, "Where. Have. You. Been?" She punctuated every word with another punch to the same spot, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Sakura rolled her shoulder reflexively. It stung like hell, thanks to Ino's dainty little fist.

"Ino? It's really good to see you," Sakura began, hesitant but sincere.

"No! Don't start exchanging pleasantries with me Forehead, you've been missing for. Four. Years!"

Three more punches. Sakura bit her lip and sent a silent prayer to Itachi that he had taught her coping methods for pain.

"I wasn't missing," Sakura protested, "I quit and then I –"

"Went travelling, I know," Ino interrupted, her voice slow and dangerous, "Just like the Hokage told me over and over again. Just like your mother told me. Do you think I'm an idiot? Just because I don't have a freakishly oversized brain like you do, that doesn't mean you can fool me so easily!"

"I don't understand…"

"What twelve year old," Ino put her hands on her hips, looking scornful, "retires from being a genin to go travelling alone for four years? No one, that's who, because your story's full of crap."

"Well, I did!"

Ino was about to snap a reply to that when something caught her attention. Sakura followed her gaze.

Naruto and Kiba were pressed against the window, making kissy faces at the two of them, looking grotesquely distorted through the glass.

Ino let out an involuntary snort.

Sakura couldn't help but snigger, "Idiots."

"I know right? Glad I've just got a lazy bum and a fatty on my team. Can't imagine having those two morons."

"Hey, Naruto's not so bad once you get to know him. And he shuts up."

"How would you know, you didn't stick around long enough to get to know him." Ino muttered, rolling her eyes.

Sakura could tell Ino would be a tough nut to crack. She was hurt, deeply, and it was going to be difficult to regain her trust. Especially given that she had no reason to actually trust Sakura at all, considering she was still lying to her.

"Oh, look!" Ino pointed, her face alight with glee, "Kakashi's tearing another strip off – um. Do you know about…?"

"Umeko? Yeah, she seems nice." Sakura said mildly. Kakashi and Umeko were both sat on a bench nearby, having a quiet conversation. Sakura couldn't fathom how Ino could assume Kakashi was insulting Umeko – the girl had a faint smile on her face, not the mournful, imploring expression Sakura had quickly grown used to seeing.

"Nice?" Ino seemed put out, "She's… she's a jumped-up little… you know they barely waited at all before they replaced you, it was –"

"Ino," Sakura said gently, "Umeko is nice. And someone had to replace me."

"No they didn't," Ino replied, her voice brittle like fractured glass, "They should have had to replace you at all. You should have been here."

Sakura stared at the ground, her cheeks hot with shame. What could she say to defend herself? It was all true.

On the bench, Umeko said something that made Kakashi's shoulders shake with laughter.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said finally, "I'm really sorry I hurt you."

"Yeah? Me too. I waited for you to come home for so long… Did Naruto and Sasuke-kun tell you what they did? How they snuck out of the village and tried to track you down?"

Sakura could only shake her head numbly.

Ino's voice rose in anger, "They didn't get far. I saw them being brought back by a few chuunin and Naruto was crying. Do you understand what you did to them? To everyone who cared about you? Not that I ever did. I should never have forgiven you for stabbing me in the back over Sasuke-kun. Well, I take it back now."

And with that, Ino tossed her head and stalked off, the slight tremble of her shoulders the only giveaway of her true feelings.

Sakura headed back into the shop, unsteady on her feet.

Naruto was at the bar, a frog purse clutched in his hand. He waved at the owner, trying to get his attention.

Sakura came to a halt next to him. He treated her to a wide, guileless smile.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked, her voice nearly inaudible, "When I left… how did you react?"

He stilled, his grip on his purse slackening. He swallowed, then turned a bright grin on her again, "I was fine, Sakura-chan! I knew you'd come home, I was just jealous you were going travelling without me!"

Sakura's heart sank.

She touched his arm, "Naruto," she said, her voice reproving, "please."

He looked up at the light fixtures on the ceiling, blinking rapidly.

"What do you want me to say, Sakura-chan," He continued to stare upwards, his voice low and jarringly older than her memories told her, "I don't want to upset you."

"I deserve it," She said bitterly, "I need to hear this."

Sasuke slid next to her, his face studiedly blank, "Don't be an idiot," He said tonelessly, "There's no point going over that stuff."

"Yeah, you're back now Sakura-chan!" Naruto declared.

"I should never," Sakura lightly hit the counter with both fists, her shoulder aching, "have left." The words were certain, firm and sincere. She meant it.

"He made you," Naruto said, whispering now, "That guy. He forced you."

Sasuke's eyes were sharp on her face, two dark daggers. She knew her face was expressionless, but the way he looked at her made her feel as though he could claw truth from one glance.

Sakura thought about all the time Itachi had given her to say goodbye. How he'd been the one to suggest writing her mother a letter. The slow process she had undertaken to retire. It was all planned and very much her choice. She'd had plenty of time and opportunity to back out.

And yet, she hadn't.

"I know," Sakura replied, lowering her eyes at Sasuke's swift intake of breath, "I know he did."

Naruto gave her a brief, one-armed hug. He was warm and smelt just like the restaurant around them. She hugged him back.

I'm sorry, Itachi.

xxxxxxxx

That night, he came to her again.

Merle clawed a lampshade in agitation but stayed put when Sakura opened the window, clearly trusting her mistress' judgement. Which was good, since someone had to.

Itachi climbed in with perfect grace, Raban flying in after him.

Sakura heard her mother turn over in her sleep, murmuring something. If she could tell anyone the truth, it'd be her. There was nothing worse than facing her mother, close to tears with happiness at her daughter's return, and lying to her.

"Why are you here, Itachi?" Sakura asked simply. His red eyes darkened, presumably at her not calling him 'sensei.'

Itachi was wearing that cloak, the black one with red clouds. He shut the window behind him, the edges of his cloak swirling at his feet, and stepped fully into the room.

"I have been given orders." He said.

Sakura sat down on her bed, automatically stroking Raban when he fluttered next to her.

"Akatsuki want me to capture the Kyuubi." He said, matter-of-fact.

"The what?" Sakura's face creased in confusion.

"You don't know of the tailed beasts? At any rate, this one is here in Konoha."

"There's a beast in Konoha?" Sakura squeaked, all composure lost at the thought of some many-tailed… thing lurking somewhere in the streets.

"I cannot tell you why," He said smoothly, "but I will not capture it. I will do my best to cripple the mission without Kisame realising."

"But it's a beast! In Konoha!"

"It's a boy," He replied mildly, "And in the wrong hands, he is a beast. It's sealed inside him, you see."

"And the wrong hands are Akatsuki?" Sakura asked, her eyes narrowing.

He nodded.

"Who is it?"

Itachi took a deep breath, red eyes flickering from her to the window.

"I will tell you, to protect you. His presence risks you –"

"Wait, do I know him?" Sakura was suspicious now. Her sensei had never looked more uncomfortable in all the years she had known him.

"It's Uzumaki Naruto." Itachi replied, watching her closely.

Sakura stopped stroking Raban.

Itachi ran a hand through his hair, turning away.

Naruto?

Sakura thought of him, his tanned, grinning face (the curious whisker marks she'd always wondered about), the bright blue eyes (how many times had she seen them flash red?) his surprising strength and growth (able to use chakra even after Hyuuga Neji made sure he couldn't, red, pulsing chakra that felt vile, choking, evil) the way every generation before hers seemed to despise him, treating him like a monster, something dangerous. Like a beast.

She buried her face in her hands, trying to breathe through the problem like an equation. I can solve this, she thought desperately. Naruto has a monster inside him and Akatsuki want him. Itachi doesn't want that to happen.

She leapt to her feet. "You knew all along!" She made to shove at his chest, he dodged all too easily and she snarled, furious, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't." He said resignedly.

"Does Naruto know about it?" She felt sick. There was no way Naruto would be able to keep a secret like that for so long. He must be completely unaware of his situation. The unknown danger he was facing.

"I can't imagine how he wouldn't."

"But he's in danger! Akatsuki will –"

Itachi's eyes flashed, "Sakura, you will not interfere. I told you this so you would know not to be alone with him. You will not speak to him about this, and you will not –"

"I will not?" Sakura repeated quietly. Itachi fell silent, "Yeah, I didn't think so. Naruto is my friend. If there are people as strong as you after him, if you are after him, I will protect him."

Itachi stepped closer, actually looking angry for once, "Sakura, this is serious. I won't let you get hurt."

"I appreciate that you care, sensei, but –"

"I don't think you do." Itachi dipped his head, brushing his lips along her cheekbone.


	7. Chapter 7

Itachi did not withdraw immediately as she would have expected of him, leaving the kiss entirely chaste, but instead followed the line of her jaw, pressing feather-light kisses upon her skin. She shivered. His hands came to settle on her shoulders. The little she could see of his eyes showed they were hot and searing, half-lidded.

Somewhere behind them, Merle scratched agitatedly and Raban's wings fluttered. The sounds helped to ground Sakura, enough so that the light-headedness began to fade and she regained enough of her senses to slip her hands up and gently push Itachi's mouth away from her jaw.

"If you are doing this because of what I said to you before," Sakura said softly, something tightening in her gut, an unfamiliar sensation. It felt a little like longing, a lot more like anticipation. "if you think you can distract me from wanting to protect Naruto by manipulating my feelings for you, you are deeply mistaken."

Itachi finally drew back, flinching slightly. He stared at her. There was barely enough light in the room from the moon to illuminate his face. The little she could see looked hurt.

"Sakura, I would never do such a thing to you. This… this was my own foolishness." Itachi said firmly, "Forgive me."

"No," Sakura said abruptly, squinting up at him, "You ask for forgiveness too often, and I won't give it where it's not needed. Let me ask you something."

He still looked remorseful and contrite, but he still lowered his head in agreement.

Itachi and her, they were like two sides of one coin. They knew how the other worked, they understood each other perfectly. They trusted each other completely and always let the other air their grievances or speak about their secret fears.

And yet this, this feeling between them… she could not describe it. She did not understand it, or even entirely trust it. It made her feel powerful and exhilarated, and as though embracing Itachi was all she ever wanted or needed in life.

She wasn't an idiot. She'd been aware of her little crush on Itachi for years, ever since puberty had struck and she had noticed him in ways that had never even occurred to her before.

But whatever thoughts she'd had of him someday returning her feelings had been harmless. She hadn't expected anything, had only entertained daydreams of love confessions and kisses.

She had once been a romantic at heart, sighing at the mere sight of Sasuke, treasuring every civil word he spared her. But now, after years of being mostly in the company of a sombre man, she had pushed that side of herself down, had finally put her career first (ironic considering she had to quit her job to get that epiphany).

Sakura was an eminently practical girl. She had received male attention before, she knew she was conventionally attractive and had been popular in school. She knew that close proximity often forces closeness between individuals and sudden separation can intensify feelings. She knew Itachi must have missed her, perhaps been frightened that she hated him, and that having her not only prove she still trusted and admired him but also pledging her support at her own personal risk must have come as such a relief and surprise…

She could see Itachi retreating inside himself already, wiping his face of all emotion, that familiar look of martyred helplessness disappearing hastily. She knew he would only go home (wherever the hell that was, now that she'd gone and blown up their holiday cabin) and brood guiltily over the last hour until he worked himself into such a state that he would never want to kiss her again, lest he break her with his mouth or whatever stupid reasoning he could come up with.

"Look, before you start flagellating yourself right in front of me," She said, rubbing the bridge of her nose exasperatedly, "Just answer my question, OK? Are you attracted to me?"

Itachi stared blankly at her, no flush in his cheeks, not a flicker in his black eyes.

"I'm not gonna start sending out the wedding invitations if you say yes," Sakura said, deadpan, "But clarification is always nice."

"Sakura, this… this is a really bad idea." Itachi said, clearly floundering. Just like his brother. A genius in all areas but emotional.

"No, this is me asking you a question that you are not gonna make me ask you again."

"I don't want to make you think –"

"Don't give me the speech, I was just about to give you the speech! Yeah, starting a relationship would be fun and all but there's the small matter of heretofore unexplained mass murders and necessary secrecy. I get it. Acting on attraction is not a good enough reason to risk you being caught. And also I don't have the necessary herbs to allow for us to even act on said mutual attraction. Plus, I'll say it before you do because every sad crease in your face is saying it for you anyway – I'm still pretty young and also I don't know how old you are. Technically. But you're all serious and I'm guessing any relationship you got into at this point would be for the long-haul, which I am not emotionally ready for." Sakura finished her speech with a little bow, "Did I cover everything? Oh yeah, uh, I guess Sasuke… is a big problem too… and Naruto is your target…"

As she spoke, Itachi's eyes had grown warmer and fonder with every word until he looked practically affectionate. "Only you, Sakura," He finally said, his voice a little rough, "only you would reject someone so thoroughly and logically."

Sakura just shrugged, suddenly feeling not so wonderful.

"Just to be clear," He went on, "What herbs did you deem necessary to use in order to act upon our 'mutual attraction?'"

Sakura flushed violently, "You know what I meant. Now, seriously… until everything's sorted out and I know it's right, I can't be with you. It's not because I don't feel –"

"I understand, Sakura." Itachi said softly, "You always do the smart thing. I taught you too well."

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"So, mission today!" Kakashi said brightly, clapping Umeko on the back, "Better hurry and gather the others. I'll meet you at the Hokage's office."

His sudden friendliness would have been worrying had they not had a heart to heart a few weeks back. Kakashi had explained his loss at the hands of an Iwa nin, how his best friend had sacrificed himself to save him, and Umeko had not needed to hear any more in order to forgive his harshness. The knowledge that she wasn't the cause of his hatred was balm alone.

It had given her hope, actually, that perhaps her mission was not doomed to fail after all – with Kakashi's support and her two teammates, she could prove herself an excellent ninja and improve relations between the two villages and finally earn her mother's respe –

"Ehhh?!" Naruto said loudly, "That mission – no thanks!"

Tsunade levelled Naruto with a severely unimpressed look, propping her cheek up with one hand. If Umeko didn't know exactly how poised and self-possessed the Hokage was, she'd say she looked bored. And also she seemed to be pouting slightly.

"Eh?!" Tsunade mimicked sullenly, "What kind of response is that? Well?"

Umino Iruka, Naruto and Sasuke's Academy teacher, quietly heaved an aggrieved sigh, "Naruto… you haven't mentally matured at all, have you?" He hunched over in his chair, half-hiding his face with one hand.

Anko placed her hands on her hips, threw her head back and cackled, "That's my boy!"

Kakashi had put a placating hand up towards the Hokage, but his attention seemed to be seized by Anko's chest, still heaving with laughter.

"It – It's bad! Godaime!" An unfamiliar voice broke through, a short-haired woman with dark lipstick bursting into the room, "The Kazekage's been taken by an organisation called Akatsuki! We just received the message!"

Kakashi's heavy-lidded eye narrowed. Naruto looked outright shocked, Sasuke agitated. Umeko glanced Tsunade's way, still trying to process the news.

Despite the apparent earlier pout and the boredom in her body language, the Godaime Hokage seemed the absolute picture of her title in that moment.

She sat up straight, her eyes hard and glinting, and laced her fingers together. Her expression was inscrutable.

Umeko counted the seconds until she spoke next.

Thirty-two seconds on, Tsunade closed her eyes, flicking away a piece of paper.

"Alright," She said, hazel eyes piercing through the group, "Team Anko. I will tell you your new mission."

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Three days of hard running and a run-in with the Kazekage's sister, and they finally arrived at their destination.

Suna.

Umeko really wanted to be brave about this. Strong. As immovable as rock.

But Suna… they hated Iwa, even more than Konoha did…

Her hand fiddled with the tie of her hitae-ate unconsciously as they approached the entrance to the village.

A hand touched her shoulder lightly. She jumped, turning wide eyes on Kakashi.

"Wear it proudly," He advised, his eye crinkled upwards, "as a trusted ally of Konoha."

Umeko was speechless.

Anko strode forward to meet the nin waiting anxiously for them.

"Temari-san was with you? We have been waiting. Please, this way!" The chuunin said, beckoning for them to follow.

As they passed through Suna's outer defences, the chuunin began to fill them in, "… but the Kazekage was abducted. After that, Kankuro pursued them, but was wounded…"

"What?!" Temari burst out, horrified, "They got Kankuro too?"

"Yes, and he was caught by the enemy's poison. And we have no way to neutralise it… at this rate, he has half a day at the most."

Temari looked visibly struck by this news, whilst Naruto gritted his teeth and hastened his pace.

"Shit!" She cursed.

Umeko looked down at her feet. She had never lost anyone, had no words to console her…

"Not over yet," Kakashi said simply, "Let's go see him."

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Kankuro looked like a corpse.

Temari did not sob or wail, but dropped down by the bed, fingers digging into her hair.

They all looked away, not wanting to intrude.

Kakashi quietly beckoned a chuunin over, "Send a fast hawk to the Godaime Hokage. Tell her we're dealing with an unknown poison… and that there is no one but her who can neutralise it. Lives depend on her."

The chuunin rushed away. Temari's feet angrily struck out, colliding with Kankuro's bed. "Damn it!" She swore, her voice thick.

"Hey, Naruto…" She said, barely above a whisper.

He moved forwards, his face contorted. Hospital rooms and deathbeds were too much for even the number one hyperactive ninja to shrug off without a grimace.

Without looking up from the floor, Temari slowly held her hand out. Naruto took it without hesitation, bracing himself to pull her up, but her arm remained limp, her grip hard.

"Save Gaara." She pleaded, "Please save him at least."

Naruto hesitated, his eyes flickering. Sasuke appeared to be idly scanning the room, but Umeko knew he was trying his hardest to look unaffected.

Kakashi spoke up, "We will all do our best –"

"You got it," Naruto said, leaning down to catch Temari's eye, "if anyone can do it, it's me, right? Us jinchuuriki gotta stick together. I'll save Gaara no matter what!"

His words were firm and sincere. He honestly believed he could do it, face down unknown enemies and triumph. Umeko wondered at the courage it must take to be Uzumaki Naruto, the burden of everyone's hopes.

"I'll sniff out the scent of the Akatsuki who attacked Kankuro and find a trail for us to follow. We'll find Gaara that way." Kakashi said mildly. Umeko had to smile. Naruto's enthusiasm was truly catching.

Anko had been silent the entire time, but now she spoke up.

"New poison, huh?" She asked, expression shuttered.

The old woman, Chiyo, slowly nodded.

"Totally unknown. Ha. Right, poisons expert's probably Akasuna no Sasori," Anko pushed herself off the wall, heading towards Kankuro's bed, "He was pretty good at that, I'll grant you. But he could be thick at times. Orochimaru was his former partner and he always watched his progress carefully when it came to poisons. He made his own team replicate them and used them on me, to monitor the effects and make sure I built up immunity to most if not all of his stuff. Had a whole bunch of antidotes made to counter it all. It's been years since that snake's injected me with anything, but according to every damn test I ever take, the stuff stays in my system, never works its way out. Seems like a mixture of his best poisons and antidotes tend to stick around." She said nonchalantly, rolling up her sleeve, "Why don't you take a sample and see what you can do?"

Temari's head had shot up around about the time Anko mentioned 'immunity.' She was staring at Anko with mingled hope and suspicion.

"Orochimaru's betrayed us once before," She said warily, "He killed our father."

"I ain't Orochimaru," Anko snapped, "and he's betrayed everyone he's ever looked at, so get in the back of the queue and quit bitchin'."

"I'll examine your blood," Chiyo said, "If my grandson has truly gone beyond my abilities, then we may as well give in to despair now." Despite her melancholy words, she dropped a wink at Temari, "And you, Anko, you ought to stay behind in Suna. Tsunade might need you."

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"There is no guarantee he will live," Chiyo warned Temari, "I was able to neutralise several symptoms and likely slow his passing, but unless I receive a sample of the poison I will not be able to save him."

Temari swallowed.

Chiyo puffed up, "We'll need that damnable Slug Woman, of course."

"Already sent for her," Kakashi put in, "Should be here in about two and a half days, if she hurries."

Chiyo stared down at Kankuro's unconscious face. "May well be late by then. Doesn't matter. I can do nothing for him that she cannot, and she can do yet more. I will accompany you to save the Kazekage."

Her elderly brother's mouth tightened. He placed one liver-spotted hand over her arm, "Please, do not be hasty…"

"Don't worry, I'll take my sweet time persuading my darling grandson to give up," Chiyo growled, "If he thinks his youth makes him untouchable, I'll show him just how important experience is to a shinobi. He's a fraction of my age and skill. And if it goes the other way? Well… I've lived long enough."

"I'm coming too!" Temari demanded, letting go of Kankuro's hand and springing upright.

"No. Stay here and work on defence of the country border. From the shinobi of Suna, I am more than enough."

"But, Chiyo-baa-sama!" Temari protested ineffectively, as the old woman scrunched her face up in disgust.

"Don't treat me like an old woman!" She pointed a wavering finger at her, "I'm more than capable of doing my part," She looked down, grinning, her face half-cast in shadow. Her elderly, drawn looks made her look like a skull, "I've wanted to give my cute grandson some love for a while now."

xxxxxxxx

After Kakashi's nin dogs split up to search for Akatsuki members' scent, they all struck out in the same direction, Chiyo keeping up with their pace with obvious ease.

They pushed on through the forest until they reached the clearing, where Kakashi flung an arm out and demanded everyone stop.

The figure ahead of them made Umeko suck in a breath in horror.

Sasuke's chakra turned murderous in a flash, rolling out in menacing waves.

Uchiha Itachi blocked their way.

Though Umeko avoided looking him in the eye, she could still feel him scan the group. Looking for Sakura, perhaps? She shuddered at the thought. Imagine if the original Team Seven had been allowed to regroup and Sakura had been carelessly brought right into his clutches! Like a convenient delivery. Umeko scowled.

She could feel Naruto's fear.

"Right from the beginning," Kakashi said slowly.

"…this guy. Those eyes…" Chiyo murmured.

"Uchiha Itachi!" Naruto spat.

"Itachi," Chiyo said musingly, "Ho, this is… the child who killed his entire family?"

"I hope you have honoured your promise in my absence." Itachi said calmly, his voice chillingly courteous, "I do not see Sakura amongst you, nor do I sense her nearby. Where is she?"

Though his face remained blank, his voice bare of emotion, the last three words he spoke were coated in devastatingly angry chakra, similar to Sasuke's and yet a thousand times more intense.

"You bastard!" Naruto yelled out, "Me, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, even Gaara? I don't care what the hell you want with us, I'll beat you all down!"

Itachi moved a hand and Kakashi started violently, "Everyone, don't look at his eyes, it's dangerous!"

Itachi formed a seal. Umeko dropped her eyes and immediately began assessing the quality of the soil they stood on.

"Just don't look him in the eye," Kakashi said quietly, "judge his movements from his body and feet."

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Umeko grabbed Naruto's arm as Chiyo did the same on the other side and concentrated on disrupting the flow of chakra to break the genjutsu.

Kakashi flew at Itachi.

Naruto's tanned face was dripping with sweat.

Sasuke stood in front of him, two kunai in hand, snakes hissing from his sleeves. He was radiating a desperate need to protect. Umeko understood now what she had not earlier. Every time Sasuke saw his brother, someone he loved died or vanished. He must be terrified of losing everyone for the second time, and yet he still sought Itachi out, still followed his duty.

Naruto woke with a gasp, just as Itachi sent a massive fireball their way.

Umeko's first instinct was to block it with rock, but Chiyo's hand on her collar put paid to that plan. The old woman grabbed both her and Naruto and swung them away before throwing herself after them.

Kakashi had disappeared under the rock, she could feel exactly where he was. She dared not look at the space he occupied or do anything to indicate she knew his position, just in case Itachi was watching her.

Kakashi burst forth from beneath Itachi's feet, fist outstretched. Itachi dodged almost lazily and countered in the same movement, sending a punch straight at Kakashi's head. He ducked under it just in time.

Something happened that Umeko could not follow, then Naruto charged at both Itachi and Kakashi, locked together.

He and a clone threw a massive ball of energy at them and Umeko gasped, charging forward to save Kakashi, thinking wildly that Naruto must be caught in a genjutsu again, when –

Naruto struck Itachi dead on.

And he erupted into a cloud of smoke.

Umeko gasped again, then coughed.

"Is he –"

"A clone." Chiyo said grimly.

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After reaching the cave and meeting the backup team, led by Maito Gai, they spread out and ripped off the five seals, destroying the barrier.

"Umeko?" Kakashi said encouragingly, "Got a hunk of rock here that needs taking care of."

Umeko breathed in shakily, aware of the group's attention becoming focused solely on her. Gai was beaming. Naruto looked determined. Sasuke stood next to him, hands in pockets, head tipped up to take in the view of the cliff.

"I will take care of it." Umeko said without much conviction, then stepped forward. "Doton: Doryūha." She breathed out, feeling the rocks beneath her feet slide like water and then rise, taking her with it.

She stood affixed to the wave of earth, the raised end pointed at the cave, then willed it forward as fast as she could.

The rocks plunged through the cave wall, leaving a massive, gaping hole behind. Umeko stood before the hole and, seeing the cave was still pitch black, directed the wave to smash through it again.

Team Gai had yet to return, but Kakashi still gave the sign for the rest of them to enter.

A large clay bird sat with its head cocked in their direction, a blonde woman next to it, sitting on the chest of – what looked like the corpse of the Kazekage. Umeko swallowed back the bitter taste of regret and focused on the enemy. Another – was it a man? – a hulking mass of something clothed in the same cloak sat near him. They both looked as though they had been waiting a while.

"Well then… which of you is the jinchuuriki, I wonder? Yeah." The blonde, apparently male enemy said in a deep, measured voice.

Jinchuuriki? Umeko frowned. They sought jinchuuriki and they expected to find one among their number? Ridiculous. Perhaps it was Chiyo, she had quite the sharp bite, it seemed.

Naruto stared at Gaara.

He stared until his eyes began to well up with tears, then bellowed, "YOU BASTARDS! I'LL SMASH YOU TO PIECES!"

"That one." The larger figure said dryly.

"Well, seems like it, yeah." The blonde replied.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted, "What're you doing there, sleeping there lazily?! Stand the hell up!"

Umeko bit her lip.

Sasuke took hold of Naruto's sleeve and twisted the fabric, hard. He didn't look at him, or do anything beyond grab him, but it seemed like… his form of comfort.

"Hey! Gaara, are you listening to me?!" Naruto hollered, his voice breaking in a way that was painful to hear.

"Stop, Naruto," Kakashi said sombrely, "You should understand."

Naruto's jaw clenched. He looked anguished, completely distraught. Umeko's stomach squeezed at the sight of him.

"Yeah, yeah, don't you get it?" The blonde said, seemingly amused, "He's well dead, yeah?"

Naruto bared his teeth, the canines elongated and sharp, the gum exposed. His eyes bulged out and his trademark whiskers grew dark and ragged. Umeko took a step back, confused and frightened.

"Give him back," Naruto said, lisping through his fangs. It sounded almost like a whimper until a rumbling noise built in his chest and rolled out of his mouth in an unearthly growl, "GIVE GAARA BACK! YOU BASTARDS!"

He shot forwards.

Kakashi darted in front of him, murmuring something calming.

The blonde looked faintly disappointed.

Umeko's eyes drifted up to the scratched hitae-ate on his forehead. Her stomach jolted uncomfortably at the sight of her own village's symbol, a line carved through it insolently. In a flash she remembered Iwa crumbling beneath the weight of several huge explosions, sulphur and smoke in the air, screams from every direction…

The blonde seemed to notice her scrutiny and offered her a slow, lingering smirk, waving sarcastically. Her eyes caught the edge of a mouth in his palm.

Rage boiled in her blood. Her breath became quick and shallow, her body jerking in response. Every muscle seemed to tighten, her fists rose unconsciously and she took one step forwards before controlling herself and moving away.

"Deidara." She said, her voice coming out calm and strong. Kakashi inched his way closer to her subtly.

The man in question positively grinned, gleeful, his own eye fixed on her unmarred hitae-ate.

"Hey, Sasori-no-danna?" Deidara said, not looking away from Umeko's trembling, white face, "This one's mine."

"Fine." The other one said, "As long as I get the jinchuuriki. I still haven't bagged one yet."

Deidara stood up casually, brushing himself down. Gaara lay behind him.

"How's the Tsuchikage?" He asked, strolling towards them.

"Thriving." Umeko spat, her hackles raising, "Your absence has worked wonders for the village's health."

"Really? Because the last time I looked, the Tsuchikage was an old man with a bad back and Iwa was a smouldering wreck."

"Things have changed. We rebuilt, moved on and got stronger. We're a village of strong foundations and –" She began hotly, but he waved a hand.

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before. What's your name, kid?"

Kid? Deidara was only a few years older than she was!

"Yamaguchi Umeko." She said defiantly.

"Ah, one of the big clans, yeah? You look like an heir to me. Yeah… Won't they miss you after I've killed you?"

"You talk big," Naruto snarled, "Why don't you come here and show me what you can do?"

"Nah," Deidara smiled, pointing at Gaara, "Already got a jinchuuriki, thanks."

Naruto seethed, then shot backwards, shouting, "Come fucking get another one then!"

Before anyone could move, he disappeared through the mouth of the cave.

"Wait for Team Gai." Kakashi said tersely, then chased after Naruto, Sasuke at his heels.

Sasori paused, exchanging glances with Deidara, then followed them at a surprisingly quick pace.

"Hmm," Deidara smirked, "I prefer fighting in the open air, but where'd the fun be in that? Explosions are so much better when they're solid!" He looked around the rocky cave appreciatively, "You two will make great art, yeah, splattered on these walls… or maybe blown sky high…" He chuckled.

"The brat was right," Chiyo snorted, "You sure do talk big for a girly-looking boy. Plus I've never even heard of you."

"Hmm," Deidara replied simply, his clay bird swallowing Gaara whole, "We'll see, old hag. I'll show you two the splendour of my art."

Umeko closed her eyes and absorbed the information the rocks gave her. She could feel the entire cave all around her.

She felt Deidara take a step forward and –

"Doton: Ganchūrō no Jutsu!"

Rock pillars burst through the ground and rushed around Deidara, stretching the height of the cave until he was encased completely by the rock.

"Kid –" Chiyo started to say warily, then Deidara exploded.

Chiyo had thrown herself over her, but Umeko had instinctively created a dome to shield them from the debris anyway.

"Explosive clones," Chiyo remarked, "So whenever we think we've pinned him, it stands a chance we're about to get blown up ourselves."

"Have to make sure it's really him, then," Umeko whispered, "In such close quarters, it'd be difficult to escape an explosion."

"Well, unless he wants to blow himself up…" Chiyo grumbled.

"I believe he has incredible control over his explosions," Umeko said earnestly, "He may be at a certain advantage."

"Let's hope that back-up team hurry up."


	8. Chapter 8

"Tsunade left a while ago, I'm afraid," Shizune had said, an apologetic smile on her face, "Was it important?"

Sakura sighed, grumbling all the way to the hospital. Not important so much as rude, impertinent and presumptuous.

Now that Ryouta was teaching her how to heal, she hoped she could get Tsunade's approval to work at the hospital. But, no. The Hokage was, as expected, off doing important business.

Sakura still found it weird to have to think of someone else instead of the Sandaime when referring to the Hokage. She still imagined the old man's wrinkled, benign face when picturing the leader of the village, not this youthful, beautiful woman with painted nails and disdainful frowns.

Tsunade had been kind to her, no question. She had handled the potential abuse issue with as much sensitivity as she could afford, sparing Sakura's pride. She also seemed to have been very frank and honest with her about her situation, which Sakura appreciated.

Just yesterday, Sakura had signed the form needed to start her application to become a genin anew. She'd already begun studying for the next Chuunin exam.

Her face flushed hotly as she recalled Itachi planting light kisses alongside her cheek, his intense gaze… She remembered now the rare occasions in which he had shown her affection – the touch of a hand, an arm around the shoulders, once even a brief embrace, but this? This was outright intimacy.

She had defused the tension between them as flatly and expertly as though throwing a bucket of water onto a lit match. It had been incredibly difficult, being the practical, mature one when she was sixteen years old and some deep, primal part of her was frighteningly girly and sentimental – she'd wanted nothing more than to have her first kiss there and then, a proper kiss on the lips this time.

But, no. She had been strong. She needed time to grow on her own, without her sensei's gentle guidance, and certainly without his kisses. She wanted to be a strong shinobi in her own right, the day the time came for love. She wanted to be able to stand at his side as his equal, not his student.

Still, she thought wistfully, looking up at the hospital, she couldn't help missing him awfully.

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Tiny, miniature explosions rocked the dome. He was playing with them, he could level the entire cave if he wanted to, and yet he was settling for rattling their shield. He wanted them scared.

My spine, Umeko breathed, feeling the rock all around her as keenly as her own body, is stone.

"He's just trying to frighten us." She said angrily as the dome shook and groaned above them.

Chiyo was barely visible in the darkness, just her gap-toothed grin and eyes clear, "What are your strengths and weakness? Quickly now."

Umeko outlined her fighting techniques, mentioning her almost complete control of rock and earth, her ability to make tunnels underground, but also brought up her drawbacks – like her poor hand-to-hand combat and defence. When Chiyo asked about her agility, she waved a hand dismissively. Her agility was the same as a stone's. Non-existent.

"He seems to be focusing on you. We can use that. Keep his attention on you. He won't look twice at an old hag like me."

They had barely a minute more to strategize, then Deidara seemed to grow bored.

Umeko felt the earth underfoot rumble and shouted a warning.

She dropped the dome with a decisive flick of her wrist, leaping away as Chiyo did the same, just in time to avoid the swelling, fattening earth from seizing them.

Light built in the centre of the shattered dome, the prelude to an explosion, and Umeko tensed in anticipation.

Something slimy crawled over her wrist. Almost instantly, a buzzing wire looped around the other.

Umeko turned around.

Deidara stood barely a few feet away, one hand held up in a seal, a smirk on his face.

A little clay bird pecked at the back of her hand, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Which should I blow first, yeah?" Deidara pretended to ponder, "You, or the hag?"

Umeko didn't need to turn her head to see the impending explosion underground swelling, gathering momentum. Chiyo stood nearby, her hand outstretched towards Umeko as if trying to pull her back.

"Why did you betray our village?" Umeko asked hotly, ignoring the slick clay brushing against her skin, the mocking caress.

"I wanted the kinjutsu they kept locked up," Deidara shrugged carelessly, "And they never appreciated my art anyway."

"You stole secret arts from Iwa and then used them to sell your services to criminals!" Umeko said accusingly.

"Mm, they paid well."

"Why did you attack Iwa?" Umeko asked through gritted teeth, "People died. Your people!"

She stopped feeling the clay bird's peck.

"Not my people." He replied, looking uncharacteristically serious, "Living in the same place as them didn't mean I owed them anything, yeah. Iwa's just the village I was born in. Gave me great pleasure to blow the place sky high and if I took a few pricks out at the same time, well, even better."

Umeko's fragile control snapped and she leapt forward.

Deidara blocked her punch all too easily, fingers curving around her wrist like steel.

"Umeko!" Chiyo called, sounding worried.

"You know, I'd hoped this'd be interesting," Deidara said contemplatively, squeezing hard until the bones in her wrist shifted agonisingly, "Fighting a girl from Iwa. Seeing if they train the kids as well as they used to. Doesn't look like it, yeah. Shame. Wish I'd gone for the mouthy jinchuuriki instead. Bet Sasori-no-danna's having fun."

"My grandson is fighting Kakashi no Sharingan," Chiyo drawled, "A jinchuuriki, an Uchiha –"

Deidara's eye glittered with malice, "An Uchiha, yeah?" He murmured, "My lucky day. We'll see how he does against Sasori-no-danna. Hope he leaves some pieces for me to play with. Knowing my luck, he'd make him a puppet and I'd have to see those eyes every day."

"You don't like Uchihas?" Umeko asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't like Sharingan," He corrected, mouth twisting bitterly, "I'd like to slowly scrape them out of their skulls."

"You have an Uchiha on your team." She pointed out reasonably.

Deidara's grip tightened, "You talk a lot, little heiress. You think you'll still talk when you're in pieces, flying through the fucking sky?"

"Are you going to blow me up this close to you?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in question, "How would you escape the blast?"

Deidara tilted his head, smirk reappearing.

"Don't worry about me, yeah." He said slowly, "I'll be fine."

And then he drew two fingers up and whispered, "Katsu."

Umeko grinned as the blast went off in her face. Deidara's eye widened when he realised he couldn't move.

My. Spine. Is. Stone!

The light of the explosion glinted off her rock armour.

Protected though she was, the force still knocked her off her feet, sliding over to where Chiyo stood. A puff of smoke obscured them and two puppets appeared on either side of the old woman.

The now useless clay dripped down her rock-covered hand.

The explosion abated, chunks of earth ripped up and dust heavy in the air. The space where she and Deidara had stood was now empty.

The sound of clapping echoed from above.

Deidara emerged from the shadows of the cavern's ceiling, sitting astride his great clay bird. His grin was a little crazed.

"Good thing that was a clone," He said cheerfully, "Though, if it had been the real me, I would have noticed the hag pass you the chakra string, not to mention you tying it to my wrist. The explosion didn't hurt you, yeah? Rock armour, I guess. Boring trick, not at all flashy."

"Made you blow yourself up," Chiyo shrugged, "I appreciated the flash of that."

"With your dull old eyes, you couldn't appreciate my art if I shoved it down your throat." Deidara said coldly.

Umeko coughed lightly.

"If I take care of you both quickly, maybe Sasori-no-danna will let me join him fighting the jinchuuriki." Deidara mused, his bird's wings flapping violently.

Umeko felt the edge of a chakra string nudge her palm. She wasn't any good at fusing them, so she would have to simply make do with tying it like regular string. It had been incredibly hard, unhooking the looped string from one wrist and passing it to the other hand, then getting it around Deidara's own as he gripped her. She and Chiyo had come up with the plan whilst in the dome, she would venture out alone, wait for Deidara to come up close to her and provoke him into detonating an explosion. She hadn't anticipated him threatening to blow up two spots, let alone targeting her hand, though. It had worked, sort of, her rock armour invisible in the gloom of the cave, protecting her, Chiyo's string keeping Deidara in place.

The plan, of course, had never been to attempt to trick him into blowing himself up. They knew Deidara would have taken the chance to use a clone to take her out instead of his real self – they practically gave him an invitation to do so, hiding unseen in the dome for so long.

And now they knew where he really was.

Umeko worked the string carefully, eyes on Deidara, then hid it in her palm.

The Kazekage was in that clay bird. Dead or dying, it didn't matter. They would recover him regardless.

"Puppets, yeah?" Deidara stared at the figures surrounding Chiyo, "Fucking Suna… that's three puppet masters I've met now. I suppose you think there's beauty in eternally preserving life, just like my idiot partner?"

"No," Chiyo replied bluntly, "These puppets are dead, and nothing more. They can rot and though they may outlive me, without care even they cannot last forever."

"Ha!" He snorted, "At least you aren't as crazy as Sasori-no-danna. He sneers at my art, yeah. Says something so fleeting cannot be beautiful. Fleeting it may be, yeah, but the impact it leaves can never be erased! An explosion can scar the earth itself!"

"You," He pointed at Umeko, "how well do you remember the night I blew up Iwa?"

The sky was painted red, as though the scorched earth was bleeding into the heavens. People streamed out of their houses in unison, like ants, shouting and screaming. Some screams were terrible to hear, the raw, agonised sound grating against her ears. The smell of burning flesh and hair. The rumble of buildings shifting on their foundations.

Her mother pushing her into a cupboard and blocking the door with her own body. Hearing her screams as the house fell down around them.

Umeko tightened her hitae-ate and stood forward, newly determined.

"Oho," Deidara said sneeringly, "Looks like you remember it well."

"I became a shinobi because of it. To stop people like you hurting innocents." Umeko said tightly.

It had been shinobi who had found them. Who had pulled them from the wreck gently, had put out the fires and the screams both. Who had healed her burns and breaks, and kept her mother alive and well.

"You think the jinchuuriki is innocent?" Deidara asked, "That why you're here, fighting, when you should be tucked away somewhere safe in all your finery?"

"It's a shinobi's job to follow orders. I was told to rescue the Kazekage, so that is what I will do."

"How do you rescue someone who's already dead?"

"I only have your word for that." Umeko said carefully, hoping to goad him into revealing Gaara, giving her a chance to get him away.

The older man laughed, "By all means, fight me to the death for the chance to pry the Kazekage's cold corpse from me to check."

"Fine by me," Umeko said fiercely, "Doton: Gansetsukon!"

A chunk of rock appeared in her palm. Quick as a flash, she tied the end of the string to it and transformed it into a spear.

Before Deidara could react, she hurled the spear his way.

The bird flew out of the way, his mocking grin flashing.

Chiyo's fingertips danced.

The spear followed the bird, sharply gathering momentum.

Umeko heard him curse. She smiled.

The jagged end of the spear caught the bird's side, ripping it open, the insides dropping out –

Umeko darted out, hands and chakra automatically working to soften the ground the Kazekage was falling towards. She slid on her knees, catching the man in her lap.

She placed him on the ground gently and stood, turning to face Deidara's slowing descent.

Jagged spears of rock shot at him, smashing into the cave wall as he dodged the lot.

Chiyo added a barrage of needles just as Umeko transformed her rock armour around her arms, encasing the skin with thick, visible rock, the fists now massive and heavy.

Deidara flew overhead, clay dripping down, and threw his hands up.

Clay bats soared over them, then dived at breakneck speed.

Chiyo leaped away in a series of flips. Umeko raised her rocky arms and protected her face from the little blasts.

The clay dripping on her arms suddenly became searing hot, she could feel the warmth through the rocks, and before she could move a blast knocked her back into the wall.

She cried out in pain.

The earth underneath her rumbled.

Snakes and centipedes crawled through, each one made of explosive clay. She gave a shout of alarm, leaping to her feet, but they all blew –

Two puppets embraced her, spinning her around and taking the brunt of the blow.

"Thank you, Chiyo-sama!" She called. The old woman gave a grim nod.

Deidara scooped up some of the clay-flesh from the bird as it sluggishly circled towards the ground. He shoved it into his mouth and started chewing.

Umeko knew what that meant.

Chiyo was at her side in seconds. She passed Gaara over to her, then created a tunnel wide enough to fit two people. It took considerable concentration to funnel the earth from underneath the cave and safely outside it.

"I will seal the tunnel securely from this side after you go," Umeko said calmly, "I will stay here to ensure his explosion does not go further than this cave."

Chiyo locked eyes with her for a moment. Umeko nodded firmly, forcing a smile. It didn't matter that her knees were shaking. Her spine was stone. She would do this, and if the worst happened, her mother would be told she was a hero. Her death on a mission from Konoha would secure their sympathy towards Iwa, and the fact that she would die saving the Kazekage, or even just retrieving his corpse, would earn Suna's admiration. And maybe, just maybe, if she managed to take down Deidara whilst doing it, she could rid Iwa of a dangerous and shameful criminal. And maybe that would be enough to earn their love.

Chiyo nodded back, and the look in her eyes was enough to carry her through this fear. The old woman looked at her with genuine respect.

Then she and Gaara vanished through the tunnel, Deidara's eye fixed on them, and Umeko sealed the hole with diamond-hard rock.

Deidara grew up in Iwa. He must know about their tactics. How they would lure enemies into caves, then destroy the cave to kill them all.

Umeko met his eye briefly, a flash of hard blue, and whispered, "Doton: Iwayado Kuzushi." She completed the seals, tiger – rat – snake, then closed her eyes.

Three weak spots in the cave walls, a few more in the ceiling.

She tugged them away gently with her mind, just as Deidara began to swell up.

A great crack resounded throughout the area, the groan and scream of rocks scraping against each other, and then the ceiling broke away as the walls crumbled and Deidara –

Deidara gave her a wink and one last smirk before he exploded.

xxxxxxxx

"Now, say this is a wound," Ryouta said cheerfully, pointing at a rip in a blanket, "Show me how you would heal it."

"Trick question, such a minor wound doesn't need healing." Sakura said promptly.

"Er, no, I just… well I wanted you to… go through the motions…"

Sakura laughed and pushed her sleeves up, placing one hand over the rip. Ryouta corrected her pose, pointing her fingertips over the wound's edge, her palm away from it.

"Focus your chakra and pump it to your hands."

She did as he asked. Blue energy flickered around her fingers, then spluttered out. She cursed loudly.

"No one gets it right away! Now, can you tell me why it's important to work on your chakra control as a medic?"

"Because healing is a very delicate art. Too much chakra is wasteful and dangerous, too little is inefficient and ineffective. A medic needs to hone their control until they can heal scratches with a flicker of chakra and life-threatening wounds without handseals."

"Very good! Now tell me why every team needs a medic."

"Because, without a medic, every injury the team suffers can be a significant threat to their lives and their mission."

"Correct. Most shinobi who are killed in action did not have a medic on their team."

"Why aren't there more medics, then?"

"Because it is very difficult to master medicine. And also, because medics tend to be the first to be targeted on the field. They are the most valuable members, after all."

Sakura focused her chakra. Her hand glowed.

"That's it! You'll be saving lives soon enough."

The rip in the blanket wavered, and for a moment she imagined it dripping blood. Startled, her hand drew back sharply.

An omen?

xxxxxxxx

Umeko could hear birds singing.

She could smell grass, feel air on her skin.

She opened her eyes.

The cave was gone. She lay buried beneath the rubble of its remains, the sky stretched out over her.

Deidara was crouched over her. She realised she could feel his fingertips digging into her neck, searching for a pulse.

"Didn't have enough chakra to protect yourself from the cave-in, yeah?" He said musingly, "Smothered the explosion, though. Covered the old hag's escape. Doesn't matter. I'll find her soon enough, then I'll smear her against the ground next to you. Would you like that?" He laughed callously, "I'll leave you in your grave then, yeah."

She was still wearing her rock armour. It had cushioned her from the worst of the explosion and the cave-in, but she could still feel the tender, piercing ache of internal injuries. She couldn't move.

Deidara stood up straight, walking away. She saw his back fading as her vision blurred. Her spine was cracked, broken into rubble. Her fingers shook.

The birds sang out louder.

She could still… do more.

Her fingers twitched, and the rocks shifted slightly.

She pushed herself up, the world quivering and darkening all around her.

Deidara was still close. She could still stop him.

She bent over, dizzy, swaying, and pressed a palm to the earth to ground herself. She stared at the dull brown soil between her fingers, her head aching bitterly, and felt the last of her chakra leave her system.

A seal spread on the ground.

It tore the earth apart.

The world shifted and she barely kept her footing, unsure if it was the jutsu or the probable concussion that caused everything to sway and shake sickeningly.

She blinked, and then Deidara was in front of her again, saying something. He looked angry.

The birds sang yet louder, a piercing cacophony, and then Kakashi was charging towards them, his hand a blur of whirring lightning.

Deidara leapt back, his face alarmed.

Another figure stepped forward, an unfamiliar redhead with protrusions bulging from his body and an arm missing. He held a hand out.

Umeko opened her mouth to warn Kakashi, then the redhead jerked his hand back and her body moved with it, like a puppet.

Her toes dragged against the ground as the chakra strings wound around her yanked her forth.

She stopped in front of Kakashi abruptly. Something ripped through her insides, sliced through her flesh like white-hot metal. Deidara laughed, breathless and wild, at her back.

The birds stopped singing.

All she could see was Kakashi's horrified eyes, both of them visible.

"Kakashi… sensei?" She murmured, wondering why he'd hurt her. Then the pain burnt through her confusion and her breath stuttered out.

Her stomach jerked and her knees gave way. Kakashi tore his hand back with a slick, wet noise.

She coughed once, then twice, wetly. One of her lungs felt strangely full. She hacked and spat blood. She was on the ground now, though she could not remember falling.

Something roared nearby and snakes hissed.

"Anko-sensei?" She said painfully, turning to look. Wasn't Anko back at the hospital –

A ripping, burning sensation in her stomach halted her movement and she let out a wounded groan.

Kakashi's hands were against her stomach, pushing back firmly. Something around her middle gave way and a warm liquid trickled down her thighs.

Lightning beats earth, she thought. She could have laughed until she cried. She thought maybe she really was laughing, there was a desperate, keening noise emerging from her throat.

"I came to save you." Kakashi said, his voice strangely bleak, hopeless and empty. "I wanted to save you."

"I wanted to help." Umeko said regretfully, tasting copper on her lips. Blood. It dripped down her jaw. She was struggling to breathe, now. It caught in her throat and stuck. She pushed the breath out with a painful shudder.

"You did." His voice cracked.

Good, she thought contentedly. Her mother would be so proud. She couldn't wait to see her again.

"They have gone," A calm, masculine voice said, "Both of them."

She could just about see a beautiful boy about her age, pale eyes and long dark hair. Hyuuga Neji. He looked down at her.

"Is she going to be alright?" A girl asked.

Kakashi's hands trembled where they touched her stomach.

The ground was hot and wet beneath her and she could hear cicadas. She wondered if Shino had any cicadas, or if he'd like to see one.

"Why," Umeko asked, her voice thick. She spat blood and tried again, "why did you…?"

Kakashi lowered his head, his eyes glinting in the light, "Don't talk, it'll be worse if you –"

"…want to save me?" Umeko managed to say, her chest heaving agonisingly, every breath tugging at her stomach.

"Why?" He repeated, sounding surprised, then indignant, "Why wouldn't I?"

Footsteps rang out. Umeko could feel them in the earth, in the shudder of her bones.

"Umeko!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke sucked in a breath sharply, then bent down at her side.

"Shit," She heard him say, very quietly, "Kakashi, you -?"

"It's my fault." Kakashi replied flatly.

"I'm sorry," She said quietly, as Naruto peered down at her, "I tried."

The world shifted again, the earth beneath her fingertips crumbling away.

Please… tell my mother…

"Umeko!"

I did my best.


	9. Chapter 9

Ryouta is probably the first non-shinobi she's talked to save her mother since her return.

And she has to keep lying to him.

"So I basically kept travelling to different villages for a while," Sakura explained to an engrossed Ryouta as they picked out a uniform for her, "And I trained a lot there. I wanted to get stronger and my confidence had been knocked. The chuunin exam didn't go well for me. So I wanted to get away and just focus on working hard."

Well, if she told him the truth he might faint. He seemed the delicate sort.

"Oh, I'd love to do that," Ryouta said enviously, "Just wander the land. I couldn't, though. I get sunstroke very easily and I'd probably get robbed."

Sakura humoured him with a smile and held up a white dress, "Is this right?"

They were looking through the uniforms Konoha Hospital had in supply, searching for a nurse's outfit in her size and rookie rank. She wasn't to be a nurse by any means – she still couldn't heal at all – but Ryouta was giving her the chance to work at the hospital and observe whilst she was still learning. She was going to be cleaning out bedpans and keeping patients comfortable, just running around doing errands, essentially.

"Yes, that's the one. I'll write you a name badge whilst you try that on. Er, in the cupboard, if that's OK? Good." Ryouta got out a pen and tore off a piece of paper, carefully writing Haruno Sakura out.

When she was fully dressed in the uniform (everything a normal nurse wore, save for the hat), he took her down to the basement.

It was an artificially cold room, so cold she thought for a moment he had mistakenly taken her to the morgue. The walls were white-tiled and scrubbed clean. The floor was ceramic tile and hard beneath their feet. Shelves lined the walls, full of vials, bottles and jars. A refrigerator in the corner almost certainly held blood ready for transfusions.

"Chakra flows better when the blood is pumping," Ryouta said knowledgeably, "Which is fortunate, because the adrenaline from fighting can give you an extra kick that way. In the cold, your chakra flow may prove to be sluggish at first, but it will soon increase. When you are fighting, you will not be able to push this technique to its full strength, but during surgery, you can use it with an almost preternatural precision."

Ryouta went through the motions of several hand seals, slowly enough that she could catch them easily. Tiger – horse – rabbit – rat – dog.

"The chakra scalpel," He went on, "Can make cuts underneath skin to perform intricate surgery on a patient. The lack of an open wound minimises the risk of infection. It is easier to use this scalpel technique for medical purposes, rather than offensively, though it is possible to learn. Tsunade-sama can do it with ease. I'm not… well, I'm not Tsunade-sama! So I can only teach you the medical method. OK?"

Sakura nodded, her mind already flashing through the possibilities. To be able to slice under the skin without leaving visible marks? It sounded like the perfect assassination tool, not surgical. One slice of a major artery and the job was done.

"Are you ready to give it a try?"

Sakura made the tiger hand seal and grinned.

"Picture your chakra funnelling down into one hand, emerging from your forefinger and beyond. Then form your chakra into a small, sharp blade."

Sakura took a deep breath and concentrated. She could feel her chakra flowing gently throughout her body, uninterrupted and unimpeded. She breathed out, allowing the chakra in the base of her chest to pump up into her left shoulder, funnelling down her arm.

"That's it! Keep it going."

Her chakra extended to her palm, wavered slightly, then shot straight down her forefinger, making her jump. The chakra dissipated in her surprise.

"This is worse than healing." Sakura said sullenly, "I couldn't even heal a cloth."

"You just weren't trying on a real wound," Ryouta said encouragingly, "I'm sure you could heal a small injury at this stage. You just need to start with the basics and work your way up."

That was the trouble. She wanted to leap straight into major surgery, to be able to slice muscles with nothing but her chakra and willpower, but she couldn't even heal a scratch or form a blade.

If it was Itachi, he would sense her frustration and tell her straight, she needed to begin small and grow big. Since he wasn't here, she did it herself.

"Alright," She said, focusing carefully. Approach the problem like an equation. Solve it like a sum. She let her chakra surge through the cold, her skin warming all over. Her chakra pulsed, then steadily, she siphoned it down her left arm, into her palm and out of her finger. Visible, blue chakra emerged, sharpened into a blade, and held.

"Oh, wow." Ryouta said, beaming.

Sakura raised her hand, examining the scalpel, and slowly smiled.

xxxxxxxx

Gaara and Umeko lay next to each other on the grass.

Team Gai stood around them, Neji frowning, Lee looking troubled, Tenten outright upset. Gai was next to Kakashi, broad arm casually strewn around his eternal rival's neck, comfort in the familiar camaraderie.

Naruto had his face buried in his arm, trying to stop his tears. He lifted his head, shaking all over, tears running down his face, and said, "Why… was Gaara… always Gaara… To die like this…! He's the Kazekage! He didn't just become Kazekage… And Umeko – Umeko!"

"Relax, Naruto." Chiyo said, gaze solemn.

"SHUT UP!" He roared, spinning around to glare at her. His tears couldn't seem to stop running.

Chiyo looked a little surprised, enough so that she had no retort or quip ready.

"If the shinobi of Suna hadn't put a monster in Gaara, none of this would have happened! Did any of you even try to ask Gaara how he felt? What is this 'jinchuuriki' anyway?! You just arrogantly made up that word to call them!"

Team Gai stood in uncomfortable silence as Naruto broke down.

Sasuke's jaw clenched. He allowed Naruto to grip his forearms and cry into his chest, though his pale, angry face glared. His arms remained limply at his sides, his eyes flicking between Umeko and Gaara.

"Is this how the shinobi of Konoha act?" Chiyo said slowly, "Mourn those that have not even passed yet?"

"The Kazekage is dead." Neji said firmly, his eyes bulging out into Byakugan.

"Turn those eyes onto the girl." Chiyo retorted, bending down next to her.

"Still alive, but her wound is critical. There's nothing to do but wait." Neji said softly, all-seeing eyes glancing at Naruto.

"Underestimate a shinobi of Suna at your peril." Chiyo cackled, wizened old hands glowing.

"It's no use," Kakashi said hoarsely, "That injury is serious. You can't heal such damage. Only Tsunade would have a chance."

"Good thing I'm not trying to heal her, then." Chiyo snorted.

Umeko's eyes were closed, but her chest was slowly rising and falling.

Neji's eyes widened even further, "Medical ninjutsu…?" He uttered, looking uncertain.

Chiyo's dull, rheumy eyes narrowed, her hands moving in a wave-like motion around Umeko's stomach. After about a minute and a half of solid healing, the damaged internal organs repaired themselves, returning to their normal positions. The wound closed with a hiss, leaving an ugly scar bisecting her stomach.

"This is a tensei ninjutsu." Chiyo said calmly, "I am giving my own life energy."

"But – but couldn't that save the Kazekage?" Neji asked, "Surely it should be used on him instead…"

"These things have an order. His turn will come, but it must be last."

Umeko's pale skin began to slowly regain colour. Her lips turned from purple-blue to pale pink in seconds.

"She is not dead yet," Chiyo said with difficulty, the strain overtaking her, "So I can heal her with my energy without having to die in the process."

"But if you use this on Gaara," Naruto said, comprehension dawning on him, "Won't you…?"

"Yes," Chiyo said simply, "I will die, and he will live."

Kakashi closed his eyes.

"I've lived long enough to gather an enormous amount of energy," Chiyo said smugly, "More than that young slug woman could dream of. I think such a long life… is enough to exchange for two young ones…"

Umeko lay sprawled on the grass, blood slickly covering her mouth and chin. Her thin brown hair had spilled out of its usual bun. Her plum-purple eyes were shut. Though her wound was closed, her entire lower body was soaked in blood.

"You should know, Hatake," Chiyo turned her gaze on Kakashi, "Umeko and I spoke very briefly. We believed at the time that the Kazekage was dead. She knew nothing of my ability to bring back the dead. She brought that cave down on herself and Deidara, fully intending to die to cover my escape with Gaara. Suna should be told that an Iwa nin was prepared to die to recover the Kazekage's corpse. This is a new generation… and a new world of shinobi. It's time to let old grudges die. When she wakes, give her a soldier pill." Chiyo said, finally withdrawing her chakra.

She turned to Gaara.

Naruto stared desperately, hope beginning to overwhelm the despair on his face.

"Can you really… bring someone back to life?" He asked, hardly daring to believe the possibility.

Even as he spoke, Chiyo flinched, her fingers twisting at Gaara's chest. She took a sharp intake of breath, sounding pained when she spoke up, "Not enough chakra…"

"My chakra… try using it!" Naruto demanded eagerly, holding his hands out, "Can you do that, baa-chan?"

Chiyo gave him a long, evaluating look, then said, "Place your hands on top of mine."

He did as she said, gritting his teeth in determination, pouring chakra into her hands.

Kakashi knelt down on one knee, fingers gently searching for a pulse in Umeko's throat. What he felt made him sigh faintly, then wipe carefully at the blood on her chin.

"She's alive." He announced, "Weak heartbeat, though. She lost a lot of blood."

He thought he vaguely heard Chiyo mutter, "Hehehe, still got it…"

Kakashi lifted Umeko's head, letting it rest upon his shoulder. His hand was still red from her blood.

"We really hammered the puppet guy," Gai said cheerfully, "Pity he and his fellow escaped. Still! The sight of Lee seizing his arm and tearing it off was so magnificent - !"

"Gai, manners. The Kazekage is still quite dead." Kakashi said flippantly, "Such cheer can be saved for later."

Gai sulked, mortally offended that his manners had been insulted. He considered himself a man of impeccable morals and integrity, so it always upset him when Kakashi pointed out some discrepancy he had overlooked, like singing loudly whilst training at four in the morning.

"They both got away, huh…" Tenten scowled, "How did the Kazekage die? And uh, I don't know her name…"

"Tenten, you shame me!" Gai boomed, "That is Yamauchi Umeki, flower of Iwa, the blossom of youth and hope and –"

"Also actually called Yamaguchi Umeko." Kakashi said dryly.

Gai's face contorted. He really was hopeless with names.

"The Kazekage was dead before we got here," Kakashi went on, "And Umeko… she was used as a shield against one of my own attacks."

Neji's eyes narrowed, "Why did you not –"

"Didn't have the chance," Kakashi said heavily, "Sasori used chakra strings from afar, dragged her in the way quicker than I would have thought possible. At first I thought she had done it herself on purpose, to protect Deidara, but… the look on her face…"

Gai clapped him on the back, "She's alive now, though, right?! Excellent! How about the Kazekage?"

Chiyo had been talking to Naruto in a low voice the whole time, though now she fell silent. Naruto looked solemn.

The old woman looked down at Gaara and smiled, her face wrinkling up. Then the light of amusement finally died in her eyes and her mouth sagged open.

Kakashi appeared behind her, cushioning her weight with his legs. He eased the old woman to the ground, closing her eyes respectfully.

"Kakashi, Neji says a lot of shinobi are approaching fast." Gai called over, his normally cheery voice heavy with unease.

"Can he see any signs of ID?" Kakashi asked, looking away from Chiyo's peaceful expression, "A hitae-ate, maybe?"

Sasuke shifted into a defensive position, signalling Naruto to do the same. He stood over Gaara instead, a huge grin breaking out onto his face at the sight of his chest rising and falling with his new breaths.

"Suna…" Neji said distantly, veins rippling and bulging out, "They are all Suna shinobi. I can see Temari… Kankuro is not present."

Kakashi nodded grimly, "I guess Tsunade probably didn't get there in time. If she even left at all."

Naruto scowled, kneeling next to Gaara's face, "How're we supposed to tell him?"

"Don't tell him anything, dobe." Sasuke said, "His sister will want to."

"Wait…" Neji breathed, "I think… I think I can see him. His hood isn't up, I didn't recognise him. He seems to be running well, he does not look injured…"

Kakashi gave a short laugh, eyes crinkling upwards as he smiled beneath his mask, "Seems like today's the day for miracles."

Gaara stirred.

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It was Kakashi who carried Umeko back to Suna.

After Gaara had awoken, the Suna shinobi had surrounded him, babbling encouragements and crying in relief, his sister had snarked at their brother and Gaara had looked at Naruto in total astonishment, shocked that there were people in the world who would care if he was gone. Kakashi still remembered the bloodthirsty monster from the Chuunin exam, and privately thought Naruto was force of nature at times, if he could change someone so drastically with nothing but a few words.

Perhaps his secret was kindness.

Kakashi looked down at the unconscious Umeko and decided the moment she woke up, he would explain what had happened, what he had done, and sincerely apologise.

Team Gai departed for Konoha after warmly wishing the Kazekage well. Lee had made a heartfelt speech about Gaara's second life being a lotus that had bloomed twice or… something Gai-like, and whilst the Kazekage had not appeared as impassioned as Lee, he had stoically borne the brunt of the boy's enthusiasm without complaint.

Chiyo's grieving brother carried her back carefully. Gaara leant on Naruto's shoulder and walked with him.

They returned to Suna as victors, the people in the streets cheering enthusiastically to see the Kazekage who had sacrificed himself for them, now returned safely.

They separated then, Kakashi hurrying to the hospital, Gaara and the others checking up on the village's security.

He arrived at the hospital just in time for a nurse to walk out, see the girl in his arms and call for a stretcher.

He followed behind, dodging nurses and doctors rushing around, watching Umeko disappear down the corridor.

"Kakashi."

He knew that voice – he turned, already folding into a smooth bow, and faced the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama." He said, eyes lowered respectfully.

"Report." She said, her voice clipped and abrupt. He stepped into the room she occupied, recognising Anko's chakra signature the moment he did so with an unpleasant jolt.

Tsunade strode across the large room, clearly expecting him to follow. Anko was sat down, sleeves rolled up, needle marks decorating the inside of her elbows. She was drinking water very slowly, calculating eyes on him.

"Both Akatsuki members escaped," He said, getting the bad news out of the way first. Tsunade let out a displeased exclamation under her breath. "The Kazekage was dead on arrival –" Both Tsunade and Anko flinched, " – But Chiyo sacrificed herself with some form of tensei ninjutsu and managed to bring him back to life. He has been delivered safely back to Suna."

He felt Sasuke flare his chakra in the hallway.

"Come in, Sasuke." Tsunade called.

It was pleasant to have had a student who followed protocol and waited for an invite before he entered a room. Kakashi still had nightmares about Naruto's poor diplomacy.

Sasuke walked in, Naruto stumbling after him. Naruto's eyes were red, his hair a ruffled mess. Kakashi remembered him shouting at Chiyo, sobbing into an uncomfortable Sasuke's chest, tearing at his hair anxiously as Gaara lay still on the ground.

Anko looked over them once and stood up swiftly, "Where is Umeko?" She demanded, eyes on Kakashi.

Tsunade paused, her whole body freezing. He knew she was friends with Umeko's mother. He knew how Iwa would take the news of their single foreign representative dying on a mission from friendly fire. He sent a silent, heartfelt prayer to whoever might be listening as thanks for Chiyo's skill and willingness to use forbidden jutsu.

"She is in this hospital. She was injured during the mission." Kakashi said tightly, not looking forward to admitting his part in her injury.

Anko solved his problem by forming the seals for instant transportation and barking, "Which room is she in?"

"I have no idea, I think she's on this floor –"

Anko tore off, stopping only to offer a shallow bow to Tsunade. He could hear her skidding across the linoleum.

"Go after her." Tsunade said, "And tell me everything soon."

xxxxxxxx

They caught up with Anko eventually, finding her in Umeko's room, lifting the blankets up to see the clothes still soaked in blood.

If she noticed their presence, she ignored it, and pushed Umeko's shirt up a little, checking on the wound.

The scar was ugly. It was jagged and large, dominating the entire abdomen. His fingers had ripped through her midsection easily, and the damage he had left was visible for every person in the room.

Several electricity burns surrounded the scar like a signature.

He wouldn't need to tell Anko who had done this to Umeko.

Even now, she gently pulled the shirt and blankets back down, and straightened up. Her chakra was burning out angrily, an insidious, poisonous feeling, oil slickly coating water's surface.

Sasuke stiffened at his side, hand clamping over his own curse seal.

Kakashi pushed the two genin back, stepping forward. He had no doubt Anko would not hurt the kids, but he knew precision and aim were not her best attributes when angry.

"What she do?" Anko finally spoke up, moving toward him with the rolling, smooth steps of a predator. Her eyes were cold, intense, bloodthirsty. A snake's eyes. "Stutter? Smile at you? What finally made you snap?" With the last word, she sidestepped him and slipped around to his back.

The unseen danger made his teeth grit, his muscles tense, ready for a fight. He forced himself to relax. Appearing defensive or violent would only confirm Anko's suspicions.

A lithe body slipped in between them. Sasuke, he knew without looking.

"He didn't do it on purpose." Sasuke said, sounding bored and completely at ease.

"Yeah, Sasori dragged her in front of him with chakra strings!" Naruto piped up.

"Ohhh, I see," Anko drawled, "well that explains it… you must have been devastated, Kakashi."

"He was." Sasuke said, still calm, only a slight edge to his voice. Kakashi swallowed back a protest. He had not thought his guilt and anguish had been obvious, certainly not to the disinterested Sasuke. Seeing her there, dying because of him… Obito had leapt into his mind and refused to leave, blood coating his lips, smiling even in death…

From the way Anko was now staring at him, he guessed some of emotions had leaked into his aura. He hadn't noticed her swivel around him again, a worrying sign. Perhaps he should ask for a brief holiday when they returned. He clearly needed to get his head together.

For a long moment, Anko simply looked at him, taking in his body language, the upset, disturbed nature of his chakra.

"Got shitty aim, Hatake," She said eventually, tossing an uneven smirk his way, "This happens again, I'll kill you. Fair terms?"

"Fair." Kakashi nodded, "And I can promise you – it will never happen again."

"I know." She said, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper.

He held her gaze.

She chortled loudly then clapped him on the shoulder. It stung viciously.

"You are a moron." She said firmly, but without malice.

He gave an uncertain chuckle.

She shook her head incredulously, then returned to Umeko's side, smoothing the tangled hair away from her face.

"How close were you to wetting yourself then?" Sasuke murmured, his voice holding a note of uncharacteristic amusement.

"Honestly? I'd wager about eighty-five percent before you stepped in." Kakashi replied solemnly. His shoulder ached.

xxxxxxxx

Tsunade waved a hand in front of Umeko's eyes.

They remained unfocused.

The older woman frowned, displeased.

"She's been like this ever since she woke up!" Anko said, radiating disquiet and unease, "She barely reacts to anything, she doesn't talk and the only time she does react is if you touch her stomach."

"How did she react?" Tsunade asked, checking the girl's pulse.

"She was frightened, she moved away quickly."

"Hmm… she's in shock." Tsunade said decisively, "She's experienced a traumatic event and her mind is struggling to cope with it. Close brushes with death can do strange things to a mind, you know."

Kakashi did not move or react outwardly in any way, which was telling in itself.

"In the first stages, she will be in this dreamlike state, barely responding to stimuli, only reacting to reminders of the event her mind is repressing. After that, she may be agitated, overly anxious, confused… The list goes on. These symptoms should disappear within two to three days. She may not remember how she got here. She will probably be fine after a few days, but it's possible she will suffer flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety for at least another month." Tsunade's tone was professional, but also sympathetic. It was obvious the stresses of combat had often left her patients in similar states.

"Shock. I know it, I've seen how it affects people – is there no way to minimise her suffering?" Kakashi asked bluntly.

"Keep her warm, comfortable and treat her kindly." Tsunade shrugged, "Recovery cannot be hastened. She'll have to ride this out until it's done. It won't be so bad. She won't remember much of any of this."

A polite flare of chakra had them scrambling to attention – all of them save Tsunade, who merely turned her gaze to the door.

The Kazekage walked into the room, his gait assured, steady. His siblings shadowed his steps.

"I have been informed that a nin in your employ was severely injured during the mission to retrieve myself," Gaara said calmly, "I wished to offer my sympathies and gratitude."

Kakashi knew a cue when he heard one. He offered a deep bow to the Kazekage, who acknowledged the move with a quick nod.

"Kazekage-sama, I had the opportunity to speak with Chiyo-sama before she passed away," Kakashi said smoothly, "She gave me a message for Suna."

A corner of Gaara's mouth quirked upwards. He obviously expected the message to be vulgar.

"Yamaguchi Umeko is the one who was injured," Kakashi gestured subtly to the unresponsive girl lying on her back in the hospital bed, "She is from a large clan in Iwa. She acts as a foreign representative for them in Konoha. Umeko fought Deidara, one of the Akatsuki who took you, with Chiyo. They both believed you to be dead, but Umeko ensured your retrieval at what she believed to be the cost of her own life. Deidara attempted to blow himself and the rest of them up, but Umeko allowed Chiyo to escape with you, and then caused a cave in to cover you. Chiyo believed old grudges should be settled and that Umeko's actions prove that."

The Kazekage examined the prone girl briefly. "She fought Deidara?" He asked, "The blonde. I see. Temari, what do you make of her condition?"

Temari looked startled to be asked, especially when the greatest medic in the known world stood in the same room, glaring daggers at him for the slight.

"Well, she's not shed her battle uniform yet." Temari said assuredly, using an old Suna phrase.

"What does that mean?" Kakashi asked.

"It means her mind is still back in the fighting." Gaara said absently, "When will she be better?"

"I would give it a month at the most." Tsunade butted in, looking very unhappy to be ignored.

"Her family will be informed. In the meantime, she will stay here and be cared for by Suna's nurses. She has my sincere gratitude for her loyalty." The young Kazekage's tone was grave and honest. He seemed incapable of deceit or false flattery, so it was obvious he truly did feel grateful towards an Iwa nin.

Kakashi wondered at the changes the shinobi world underwent under his gaze. He felt a little older at that, but no wiser.

"If I know her mother," Tsunade said, grinning, "Hitomi will want to see Umeko regardless of her condition. Since I doubt she would come here, I think it best Umeko be brought to her mother's side."

"Is she well enough to travel?" Gaara asked attentively.

"It's not far and she has two loyal sensei and teammates to accompany her," Tsunade's smile softened, "I can imagine Umeko will be happy to be home after so long -"

"She's crying." Temari said abruptly, cutting off the Hokage.

All eyes turned on Umeko, who was shaking lightly all over, tears pouring down her face.

"The anxiety," Tsunade said, placing a comforting hand on Umeko's forehead, "It's alright. You'll be home soon."

"No… home – please, no." Umeko managed to say, her gaze far off but her voice loud and clear.

"That's right, we're taking you back to Iwa." Kakashi said soothingly, confused by the anguished, tear-filled eyes that fell just short of his face.


	10. Chapter 10

"I've never danced with a boy." Sakura remarked rather sadly, perched on the edge of her bed.

Itachi paused in his reading, the scroll in his hands lowering, "Elaborate."

"I've never danced with a boy! I'm thirteen. I had plans, ideas… I wanted a life outside of being a shinobi. Marriage, kids –"

"Thirteen is too young for marriage and children." Itachi said dismissively, going back to his reading.

"I don't want to get married now. But I do one day! For a year I have been doing nothing but train and travel and study. I should have been talking to boys my age, socialising and having fun! Imagine what Ino-pig's been doing without me… maybe she's got a boyfriend…"

"Sakura," He said, a trace of impatience in his voice, "Stop."

"No! I've missed out on a ton of stuff and now maybe I'm stunted or something, maybe all I can do is fight. I don't have any friends, Itachi," She said desolately, "I left them all behind. I'm… I'm just really lonely, OK?"

Itachi's jaw clenched, "You left willingly."

"Yeah, and that doesn't change how awful it is, not having friends."

"You have – " Itachi made a vague gesture with his hand.

"Who? Kisame? Random villagers? Anyone who spares me a second to share a meaningless greeting with a stranger?"

Itachi looked up, his eyes dark and contemplative. He had such emotive eyes, she could see depth in them that stirred all kinds of strange feelings inside her.

"What do you want?" He stood up, his voice so toneless it made her tense up. The less he showed, the more he was feeling.

"Wh-what?" She said, startled. She automatically rose from the bed, stumbling back a few steps as he approached.

"What," He came within a few steps of her, and all of a sudden she could sense how angry he was. She moved back a little more. He lowered his voice, "do you want from me? I offered you a chance to be safe, to get stronger. I have nothing else to give you."

"I can't help being lonely." She still said defiantly, telling herself that her sensei's anger had never once extended beyond words, he would never hurt her, "I left behind everyone I love. I know I did it willingly, but I never imagined how alone I would feel…" She raised a hand to dab at her eyes, fresh tears clinging to her lashes, "It's not like you talk to me beyond a few words here and there. I have no one who I can go to when I have bad days. I have no one who I can tell all my secrets to. I've been living in hotel rooms for a year and I'm sick of it. I want to go home." And with that, the dam broke and she began to sob, the palm of her hand pressed against one eye, her shoulders shaking.

She heard a quiet exhalation of breath, felt it brush against her hair. She opened her eyes, surprised at their sudden closeness, when Itachi's hands touched her face and she jerked away.

Undeterred, he cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up to make her look him in the eye.

"Stop crying." He said firmly.

She was frozen in shock, but he was unthawing her slowly as his fingers began to gently, hesitantly move in circles against her skin, a strange, massaging sensation.

"I will be your friend," He said, his voice hoarse and low, a far cry from his usual, modulated tones, "Your guardian, your confidant. I will be whatever you need, so you need not feel lonely."

xxxxxxxx

"Now, um, if you just watch me," Ryouta said, beaming at her, "There is a point to this, I swear it! You form your chakra blade like so," He struggled for a few seconds, then waved his glowing hand proudly, "then strike hard, with a slicing motion, your fingertips just missing the target!"

He swiped at the tree trunk. His chakra dug a deep gouge into the wood.

"What you should see," He said falteringly, glancing back at the mark he had left, "is a neat slice. The more precise your chakra control, the neater the slice. And, um, if you've had a good night's sleep, that will help with the control."

"I slept fine." Sakura told him.

"Good! At least one of us has," He gave a strained chuckle, "I walked into a door again when I was sleepwalking."

Sakura had been deep in the middle of a daydream about Itachi as Ryouta babbled about focus and concentration being the key of every technique. Itachi had been so important to her life for so long… He had started out as the scary man who had approached her in the dead of night and then her unapproachable, serious sensei. Then, after years of slow progression, his unfriendliness had thawed and he had made her feel special because he showed another side of himself to her. She knew his job required hard, painful things from him and because of that he needed to pretend to be cold and unfeeling. When it was just the two of them, it was different. He was kind, patient and loyal.

The world had narrowed down to just her and him and it was unbelievably hard trying to open herself up again. For a while it had seemed that all she needed was him.

Now, after a few truths had come out and she was left with more questions than answers, her world had a huge gap in it she needed to fill. She was not one half of a whole. She was not some stupid, desperate girl who couldn't function without a guy. She also wasn't going to wait around for someone to tell her the truth.

Ryouta had taken her to an abandoned training field, its posts broken and splintered, rusting kunai still stuck in trees and embedded in rock. Weeds had begun to grow out of control, each one damp with dew and flourishing in the absence of people.

Ryouta gestured for her to give it a try, so she walked up to the tree and focused her chakra.

Ever since the Forest of Death, her first priority had been to get stronger. She had managed that, no problem.

But she had only achieved it with the aid of someone who was keeping too many things from her.

She wanted something secret of her own, to surprise him with. Maybe even impress him, if that was possible.

She was still fairly good with illusions thanks to Kurenai and later, Itachi. She had practiced all the time, making more and more elaborate illusions as time went by. She left one constantly hanging over their cabin, just to make the place look nicer. She could summon crows. She still had those early jutsu Itachi had taught her and she was quicker, smarter and stronger.

She had nothing left to prove. And still, it wasn't enough.

She had spent her short time back in the village getting lectured, questioned and inspected. Itachi couldn't tell her the truth and no one else seemed to know it. So she would spend the rest of her time here rooting out the truth behind the massacre and learning medical skills on the side.

She smiled, imagining Itachi's face if she confronted him with the truth and surprising him with her new abilities that she had learned in his absence.

She sliced through the trunk, making a neat incision with her chakra.

The sound of clapping filled the air.

The two of them jumped guiltily, whirling around to face the newcomer.

The Godaime Hokage stood leaning against a training post, her head tilted sideways. Her eyes tracked the chakra that automatically receded in Sakura's surprise, the glow around her hand dimming.

"Very precise." She said crisply, "Decent control for your age."

"Hokage-sama!" Ryouta gasped, sounding agonised, "What – "

"I was informed that Haruno Sakura was in the training grounds with a medical specialist. I assumed it was an emergency." Tsunade tutted, red lips stretching into a smirk, "It seems I was misinformed."

"I thought you were away, Hokage-sama." Ryouta seemed rattled, his face flushed.

"I was. There was an actual emergency in Suna. It didn't take long to return." Tsunade examined her manicured nails with obvious interest. She picked at one idly, "What's going on here, then?"

"I wanted to train Sakura!" Ryouta announced, his words rushed and garbled, "I insisted, I dragged her out here –"

"Once more, with the truth this time." The Hokage pointed at Sakura, "Tell me your version of events."

"I've always wanted to be a medic and Ryouta-san offered. I was not forbidden from learning how to heal, so I assumed it wouldn't be a problem." Sakura grumbled. Five seconds in a training field with a doctor and the Hokage shows up! So much for the whole 'you're free to go' act. She knew they still didn't trust her.

She could change that, given time.

"Strange choice of loophole," Tsunade mused, "Maybe I'll believe you. How badly do you want to be a medic?"

Sakura remembered standing over Sasuke's needle-ridden body, swathed in mist and seemingly dead. Naruto and Sasuke both unconscious in the Forest of Death, Sasuke in agony and Naruto unresponsive. She had already made sure she would never be useless in a fight again. With healing, she could be useful even outside one.

"Very." She said emphatically.

Ryouta gave her a side-glance.

"I received very insistent testimonies from Kakashi and a few others that you can be trusted. Considering your background, I am a little cautious. However, Sandaime believed in second chances. He had a similar case with Anko and he trusted her. Even after his death, she is still a loyal shinobi of Konoha. It was reported that she encountered her old sensei once in adulthood and did everything she could to ensure his death." Tsunade looked directly at her then, her shrewd hazel eyes meeting hers. For all her bored airs, fickle gambling habit and feigned youth, there was an undeniable intelligence in those eyes.

"She even attempted to use a suicide technique on him. If you met your sensei again, could you do the same?" The older woman asked slowly, watching her carefully.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, allowing some of her genuine anger to seep into her expression, and without hesitation hissed, "Yes."

Ryouta looked at them both, mildly confused.

Tsunade's lips pursed, her forehead furrowed in thought. For a long moment, she and Sakura merely stared at each other, neither willing to be the first to look away.

"Hm. That seemed almost sincere. If you are bored or searching for purpose, and you want to spend time learning medical ninjutsu, I can always teach you." Tsunade shrugged, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Sakura and Ryouta exchanged glances, then she said warily, "Why would you want to do that?"

Tsunade held up a hand and bent one finger back, "One, I could keep an eye on you. Two, the thing I said already about second chances. Three, I've already taught Shizune everything I know so I have a space open for a new apprentice. And finally, I think you could use a break."

Kurenai had been a kind, honest sensei. She had been pleased with Sakura's potential and had praised her every step of the way.

Kakashi had been mostly disinterested, usually leaving her to her own devices or providing some token exercise or her to perform.

Itachi had taught her long enough that he could sense her wearying, knew her limits better than she herself and they were both comfortable around each other to let their guards down. It was less a mentorship and more a partnership.

But Tsunade… who knew what kind of sensei she would be?

Sakura turned to Ryouta. He was smiling absently, looking baffled by the sudden turn of events. "Would you be alright with that?" She asked.

"I said it myself, didn't I?" He nodded, "Tsunade-sama is the best in the field. Who better to teach you? I'm just glad you'll get the chance to be a much better medic than me one day."

"She will have to survive the basics first." Tsunade smiled.

Somehow, Sakura suspected her kind of basics were not like Ryouta's gentle baby steps.

xxxxxxxx

Iwagakure was located in the middle of rocky mountain ranges, the village itself appearing to have sprung out of the ground naturally. The buildings were simple, crude towers shaped from rock and stone, with bridges connecting from plain to plain. Waterfalls decorated the cliff face.

They didn't get far before someone intercepted them.

A tall man wearing a flak jacket and missing a sleeve stood in their way. His eyes swept over them, clearly evaluating them.

"Identify yourselves." He said bluntly.

Kakashi had no doubt that there were several other Iwa nin hiding amongst the rocks, perfectly camouflaged and in their element.

"I am Hatake Kakashi," He said, bowing respectfully, "I come here with my teammates, Mitarashi Anko and Uchiha Sasuke. We are from Konohagakure. We bring with us the foreign envoy Iwa sent," He gestured to Umeko, standing in the middle with Anko's arm around her shoulders, "because she was recently injured and is unfortunately still suffering the aftereffects."

Naruto had been sent back to Konoha with Tsunade and Team Gai, ignoring his loud protests. Tsunade's decision. She thought it best not to dangle him like a carrot in former enemy territory.

The man examined Umeko's face, her hitae-ate and her glassy, unseeing eyes.

"One moment." He said tersely, then whistled.

A woman emerged from the ground before them and waved a hand in front of Umeko's face.

"No jutsu," She reported, "her chakra is undisturbed."

"I do not remember someone being sent to Konoha," The man whispered to her agitatedly, "Who is she?"

"Yamaguchi Umeko." Kakashi said, slouching into a more relaxed posture, "Sent four years ago by her mother."

"Yamaguchi," The man nodded, the confusion clearing from his face, "I see. You may enter."

As they travelled through Iwa, Umeko seemed to wake up.

Her eyes couldn't keep still, flashing from building to building, her pace quickening. Kakashi supposed if he was away from home for so long, he'd react the same way.

He had assumed others would recognise her in the streets, perhaps she would be stopped and they would have to explain her condition, but the strangers' gazes seemed to pass over her like she was not even there.

Four years. He remembered what she had looked like four years ago. She had grown up away from home and now she had come back much changed.

The Yamaguchi Compound was hardly ostentatious, but it was noticeable from its high walls and metal gates.

They were permitted to enter by the guard outside the walls, who only had to glance at Umeko to recognise her.

They were escorted past the large double doors with badgers carved into the wood and through the hall, then left alone in a wooden corridor. Artificial bamboo decorated the gardens, sprouting from every corner and encircling the large pond. Water ran into a decorative bamboo feature, creating a peaceful repetitive sound that filled the garden and surrounding corridors.

A paper door slid away and a short, plump woman emerged.

"Please, this way." She smiled, gesturing into the room.

Kakashi and Anko glanced at each other. There was wealth here, that was certain, but this servant was the only person in the entire village not to display open hostility so far. So much for their tentative peace treaty having a lasting effect on village relations. As an ally, Iwa could do wonders for Konoha. As a rival, well. They already knew how devastating that could be.

They followed the woman into a darkened room, taking their shoes off – Umeko's too, when she failed to respond – and they stepped onto dark wooden flooring.

A woman stood in the centre of the room. She wore a kimono of expensive fabric yet simple design, her hair dripping down her shoulders in corkscrew curls.

"Forgive me," She smiled, "You have caught me at a casual moment. Had I known guests would be coming, I would have slipped on something a little less comfortable."

Kakashi bowed deeply, "Yamaguchi-sama," He said, assuming this was the woman of the house, "We are shinobi of Konoha, and we have brought your daughter –"

The woman inhaled sharply, eyes snapping to Umeko.

" – Because she has been injured, and is in shock, a condition where –"

The woman crossed the room with long strides, her hem seemingly not an impediment, and stopped before Umeko.

She stared at her for a full minute, eyes tracing her face nonstop.

She was holding a beautiful ornamental fan, large and onyx black with gold veins. She used it to lift Umeko's chin up, peering into her eyes.

"What is wrong with my daughter?" She demanded, turning to Kakashi, her plum eyes hard and unforgiving.

"She isn't well," Anko said, speaking up for the first time, "She's in shock. She nearly died and she's still recovering from that."

The woman grabbed her daughter's wrist, seemingly reflexively, "She nearly died? How could you let that happen?"

"She was on a mission –"

"She is an important envoy! I sent her to finally learn some social graces, diplomacy," The woman said, her nostrils flaring in anger, "Not to put herself in danger! She was to smooth the path to peace! I was assured by the Hokage herself –"

"Yamaguchi-sama, you have my deepest apologies for what has happened," Kakashi said civilly, "Umeko works as a chuunin in Konoha, she often volunteers for missions and in this particular case, she took a great risk to help save someone of vast importance in Suna. The Kazekage himself, who wanted us to inform Iwa of his appreciation."

"Suna, you say?" The woman replied, her lip curling. She let go of Umeko's wrist and turned away. "Hisoka-san, isn't all this shinobi talk frightfully dull?"

She aimed her question at the paper wall, where the shadow of a man had been distracting Kakashi throughout the conversation.

The paper partition slid back and an elegantly dressed man entered the room. He had short, greying hair and deep wrinkles. Jewels winked at his wrists and throat in the dim light.

"Hitomi, my dear, I have told you time and time again that getting involved in this nonsense is pointless," He said querulously, "I see enough political scheming and failed attempts at diplomacy in Kyosū, I do not need to find it in the place I come to relax. Hatake, I believe?" He inclined his head Kakashi's way, "Yes, you have the look of your father. Konoha's White Fang," He chuckled good-naturedly, "quite the opponent in his time, if I remember rightly."

Kakashi bowed again, Anko managing an awkward sort of bob at his side.

"Thank you, Hisoka-san, was it?"

"Yes, yes. I am technically a lord of Kyosū, but I try to spend as much time in Iwa as possible." Hisoka smiled amiably, "There is nothing quite like Hitomi's gardens to keep my nerves calm and placated."

"Thank you." Hitomi said, flushing with pleasure, "Do you all wish to stay for tea? I can have the –"

"I'm afraid we are needed back at Konoha," Kakashi said apologetically, "But we will of course leave Umeko with you as she recovers, I've heard how much you've missed her."

Hitomi's smile did not waver, "Oh no, there is no need for that. Konoha has a fantastic hospital, I've heard."

"You... don't want her to stay?" Kakashi cocked his head.

"If the servants saw her in such a condition, it would only be a matter of time before the whole village knew," She said pleasantly, "I know Umeko would be awfully embarrassed if that happened."

Kakashi frowned and opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off by opening her fan and giving a tinkling laugh.

"My apologies, I have just realised I never introduced myself! My name is Yamaguchi Hitomi. I am the head of this clan."

"Hatake Kakashi," He said with some impatience, "Mitarashi Anko and Uchiha Sasuke."

Hisoka raised his eyebrows, "My, my… an Uchiha! I heard terrible things…"

Sasuke gritted his teeth and stared determinedly at the wall.

"I do apologise, dear boy," The old man said faintly, "I only meant…"

"It's not a problem." Kakashi said, knowing Sasuke wouldn't, "But we really should be going now."

"I shall feel dreadful if I let you go without even doing you the courtesy of feeding you." Hitomi demurred.

"Then I will have to accept the burden of knowing I made a noblewoman feel dreadful." Kakashi said lightly, covering his annoyance with a laugh.

"But at the very least you should –"

"Lady, we've gotta go." Anko said brusquely.

Kakashi silently wailed.

Hitomi blinked, then smiled courteously, "Of course. I hope you have a safe trip."

"Farewell." Hisoka swept into a respectful bow.

Kakashi gently took Umeko's wrist and started to guide her out.

Her head turned as they moved and she said quietly, her voice cracked, "Mother."

Kakashi looked back. Hitomi did not move, she was waving her fan at her face and staring at the ceiling.

"Mother." Umeko said more urgently.

Hitomi ignored her.

Kakashi made to stop, but they were through the partition and Hisoka was closing the door.

"It was good to meet you," He said cheerfully, "You ought to stop by Kyosū if have the chance."

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"Explain to me again why we are in an open field if I am here to learn healing?" Sakura questioned, hands on hips.

"Healing?" Tsunade scoffed, "You think I could let someone of dubious loyalty near an injury? No, at first we are going to start with the basics, that is to say, we are going to see if you can pull off some of my personal techniques. For example, Shizune is adept at poisons and senbon and such things, but she could never get the hang of this."

Tsunade threw her fist at the ground.

It caved in, leaving a medium-sized crater.

Sakura's jaw dropped.

"This, I can do with a very low percentage of power," Tsunade said conversationally, "I want you to be able to do half of this much damage by the end of the day."

Sakura closed her mouth with a snap. Tsunade could punch holes in the ground? And she wanted to teach Sakura how to do it?

"I'll do my best." She said resolutely.

"I'm taking a risk with you. Don't make me regret it." Tsunade said, smiling faintly.


	11. Chapter 11

Two Years Ago

They didn't usually stay in little villages, the risk of standing out much higher in such tight-knit communities where everyone knew each other.

It could hardly be called a village, the place Itachi had picked for them to stay the night. It was just a few rows of cottages, thatched roofs and all, a huge well in the centre and a pasture around the back. It was obviously a small settlement that had managed to last with some good luck and prayers.

They walked down the grassy hill towards the village. The sky was pink and yellow in the wake of the setting sun, and it cast a warm glow over the daisies dotting the edges of the path.

Sakura breathed in the smell of pies cooking and looked hopefully at Itachi. He very rarely smiled and never seemed to laugh, but sometimes his eyes would grow all warm and tender when he looked at her. He was tired that day, something heavy weighing him down, but he still gave her that fond look and placed a hand on the small of her back to steer her towards the inn.

Inside they found a woman wiping down tables, a stained and wrinkled apron hanging around her neck. She took their money without a word and pointed to a battered sofa for them to sit and wait on.

Itachi wasn't the type to sit idly by and wait, so he leaned against a wall, hand in his pocket, eyes on the door. Always searching for an exit, forever on the watch for enemies.

Sakura's feet ached from all the walking they had done during the day, so she sat down with a relieved sigh.

Itachi's eyes cut to her quickly, assessing her for signs of injury or fatigue. Sakura had learnt eventually that Itachi worried constantly about missing things, so she aimed to ease his concerns by beaming at him. He gazed steadily at her for a moment, then nodded subtly. He resumed inspecting the room.

"You two family?" The woman asked, her accent strange to Sakura's ears. "You don't look much alike."

Itachi straightened up. He was still wearing his cloak and hat, his dark eyes shaded.

"No." He said simply.

Itachi never bothered with cover stories. Two years in and he seemed to decide that they were not being followed or tracked, so he merely tipped generously to avoid questions and did not concern himself with acting naturally. Sakura had found the early subterfuge fun and missed the fake names and constant appearance-altering genjutsu.

The woman glanced at Sakura with a sour twist to her mouth. At fourteen, Sakura didn't have to think very hard to guess what she was thinking. A lot of people had assumed over the years that there was something unsavoury about them travelling together.

Itachi never tolerated any talk about such things from strangers. Sakura had witnessed him make a drunk man in a pub wet himself when he dared call Sakura Itachi's 'sweet little thing.'

She glanced nervously at Itachi now, but he was ignoring the both of them.

There was a shout from another room and the woman looked up, "Right, dinner's ready if you'll come through and have a seat."

Dinner was chicken pie with gravy. Sakura dug in with joyful relish. Itachi ate slowly, ruminating with a far-off look in his eyes.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Sakura said eagerly, cutting the rest of the pie up as she spoke.

Itachi focused on her, his next mouthful pausing on its way up.

He nodded, eyes on her smiling face.

Later, in their shared room, Sakura lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"Do you have any regrets, sensei?" She asked, her voice hushed. When they were properly alone like this, isolated from all outside noise, she was often overcome with reflective or melancholy thoughts.

Itachi was quiet for at least ten minutes, lying on his side, back to wall.

"Yes." He answered, and would not respond again for the rest of the night, no matter what she asked him.

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"If you touch the kunai and let your chakra flow into it, it will become attuned to your signature and will only respond to you." Itachi explained, handing her a wickedly sharp kunai with an odd curve in the blade.

Sakura took it gingerly, holding onto the handle with the tips of her fingers.

"Just push your chakra into the blade." Itachi said patiently.

Sakura did as he asked, hesitantly allowing her chakra to flow beyond her fingertips into the blade. It lit up immediately in response, a jagged blue flare around the edge of the kunai. She nearly dropped it in shock.

"Wind chakra," He said approvingly, "That will increase the sharpness of the blade."

"You got this for me? Won't you be able to use it?" Sakura asked, "It looks expensive. It must be if the metal reacts to chakra like this."

Itachi shifted on the spot, turning away slightly, "It doesn't matter. I have a big job coming up, I'll get paid double what that cost."

"You… why waste money on me, sensei? You should – it would be better if –"

"It is only a waste if you do not want the kunai." Itachi said calmly.

"No, I do! It's… just really nice of you…" Sakura stared at him with increasing awe, "Thank you so much!"

Merle squawked in the air above them, Raban flying just behind her tail.

"It was nothing." Itachi said, apathetic as usual.

Throwing caution to the wind, Sakura jumped forward and wrapped her arms around Itachi's middle.

He tensed underneath her. She knew just how difficult it must have been for him not to immediately skewer her for flying at him suddenly, and hugged him harder; trying to get the most out of the first hug she had had in years.

It was her turn to tense when his hand landed on her head. He patted her hair briefly, seemingly at a loss, but then his body relaxed in her grip and he pulled her in closer.

Her cheek pressed against his chest, she could hear his rock-steady heartbeat. He stroked her hair and breathed in deeply.

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Itachi was supposed to come back two hours ago.

Sakura's legs ached from crouching in the same position for so long, her eyes just peeking over the windowsill. For the first hour she had been paranoid enough to think every rustling bush was an enemy, darting up to stare anxiously for minutes on end at a quivering leaf, just in case. Now, she was certain there was no one around and still felt sick with fear. What if something had happened to Itachi?

If he was hurt, that would mean the people he was fighting were even stronger than he was. How could Sakura help him if she couldn't even defend herself against them?

Outside the cabin, rain poured steadily down, sheets of water rolling down the window. She could hardly see outside now, just vague impressions of colours and shapes.

Itachi… She bit her lip, torn. On one hand, she couldn't just stay here indefinitely and wait for someone who might never come back. On the other hand, she might miss his return if she left and ran into trouble on her own. Not to mention how angry he would be with her for disobeying him.

"I'm going out now," He had said earlier that morning, slipping needles into his sleeves with the slightest flicker of his wrists, "I will be back by noon. Do not leave this cabin for any reason. Wait here and hide if you think someone is coming."

She imagined his angry face for a second, wincing at the thought. Then she pictured him with a painful grimace, alone somewhere, needing her help, and she stood up abruptly.

A nearby town was suffering from a recent bandit infestation after a huge group had settled into some caves nearby, and after months of being preyed on they had turned to Akatsuki for help. Itachi was being sent to clear them out and, though she knew he never relished killing anyone, both of their consciences felt clearer with the knowledge that Itachi's mission would save innocent people. Itachi never spoke about his missions, so she knew he was anticipating doing some good for a change whenever he brought it up.

Sakura scoured the cabin, searching for their medical supplies. She grabbed the bandages and the rest and shoved it into her backpack, hauling it on straightaway, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in agitation.

This morning the sunlight had been watery and weak and now it was practically non-existent. The sky was just a mass of steel grey clouds, the rain coming down hard and fast.

She had her special kunai tucked away in her belt. She didn't have a coat anymore. They'd had to ditch the last one she had back in town. It was too tight around the shoulders since her growth spurt and it was grubby and threadbare anyway. If it rained as they travelled, Itachi insisted on giving her his cloak every time.

After checking she had everything she needed, she left the cabin reluctantly and started to head up the path Itachi had taken.

The ground was muddy and slippery underfoot. She slid backwards a few times and pressed on, nearly growling in exasperation.

The rain thundered down upon her painfully, her bare arms stinging and cold. She reached the trees and kept going, remembering what Itachi had told her. The town was to the south of the cabin, the caves north of some trees.

The walk was long and hard, her teeth beginning to chatter after half an hour, her arms pink and sore.

Her breath came out in wheezes as she climbed the hill, grabbing slick branches and tree trunks to gain purchase. She hadn't eaten yet that day. Itachi was supposed to bring back lunch after his mission. Her limbs were wooden and hollow, her grip weak.

She could see a gap in the trees ahead, a slice of grey sky amidst the leaves and foliage. She pushed herself towards it, stirred on by thoughts of Itachi in danger. If only she could reach him… just knowing he was alright would make it all worth it.

The branch she used to haul herself up snapped and she fell down heavily, exhausted and aching all over. Her palms were scratched and bloody, mud dripping down to her elbows. She pushed herself back onto her feet and kept walking.

What she had thought was the cloudy sky beyond the trees turned out to be a cliff face, large hollows in the rock obviously the bandits' caves. She stumbled across a blackened campfire, still smouldering slightly despite the rain.

Pain seared along her side and she leapt back, stunned.

A man of about six feet towered over her, a long, scythe-like weapon in his hand. Her blood now soaked the blade along with dirt and rust. A farming tool. This non-shinobi man had snuck up on her and cut open her side with a stolen tool?

She backed up a little, warily eyeing the man. Expecting demands for her valuables, she was surprised when he lunged forward again without a word. So. This was the kind of thief that looted corpses rather than mug the living.

The scythe sliced down towards her and she rolled out of the way, pulling her kunai out.

Lack of food and exhaustion made her too weak to infuse the blade with her chakra, so she settled for holding it out defensively.

"I don't want to fight," She panted, clutching her bleeding side, "just walk away."

He came at her again and she parried, kunai screeching against his scythe. She shifted her stance and pushed up, forcing him to use both hands to hold the scythe or risk her knocking it out of his hands.

His knee slammed into her chin abruptly. Tears came to her eyes at the pain. She had nearly bitten through her tongue.

She flinched away from the source of the pain automatically and felt hands grab at her shoulders from behind. She twisted to avoid the unknown assailant and slipped in the mud, her side now burning agony.

She had stupidly assumed the first man she had seen was alone. Of course he wasn't, of course there would be more hiding in the trees.

She tried to roll away, holding her kunai in front of her warningly, but the second man grabbed her swollen jaw and shoved her face towards the smouldering embers of the fire. Panic seared through her and she bucked upwards, breaking the man's grip.

Blinking rapidly against the rainwater dripping in her eyes, she planted her feet firmly on the ground, regaining a solid foothold.

The two men approached from the front.

Sakura kicked against the tree behind her and clipped the first man's jaw repeatedly with a spinning kick. He dropped like a stone.

Spinning kicks were flashy and looked difficult, so they could often be used to intimidate opponents or even scare them off. Sakura watched the second man hopefully, more blood pumping out of her wound after her athletic display. She cursed her stupidity when he came closer.

Sakura flicked her kunai at him, almost dizzy with pain now. It missed by a hair's breadth.

"I don't want to hurt you." She repeated, voice hoarse and strained, "Just leave me alone."

She didn't have time for this. She needed to find Itachi, to save him if he needed it.

What use was all of her training if rain, mud and weariness could overcome it? She should have been able to take the two of them out painlessly and swiftly, and instead she was practically wrestling with them.

The man landed a glancing blow against the side of her face and lurched towards her, ignoring her words completely.

Fine. Mercy wasn't getting her anywhere.

She swept his feet out from under him and planted her own foot against his back, keeping him down.

As she knelt down, he reached up and dug his fingers into her open wound, tearing a hoarse scream from her mouth.

She fell back, her vision greying over. Vomit rose in her throat and she coughed, every tremor and spasm agony.

She could see more men surrounding them, all dressed in browns and greens. More bandits. Her stomach swooped unpleasantly at the realisation that there were too many and she was too hurt to do anything about them.

A woman fell with her mouth open in a silent scream. The rest of the bandits looked around wildly for her killer, shook up by her sudden death. Another of them let out an unearthly death rattle, his throat slit.

One by one, an invisible attacker picked off the bandits.

They scattered in their blind panic, but never got further than a step each.

Eventually, the only one left was the man Sakura had been fighting.

He tried to dart into a cave but something seized him by the collar and tossed him back.

Itachi stood before him, tall and resplendent; his head held high, proud eyes glaring down at the man.

He was the most welcome sight Sakura had ever seen, and she sagged back down gratefully the moment she recognised him. He was alive and here to save her.

"How dare you?" Itachi growled. He stalked towards the man with the rolling gait of a predator. The man struggled to get away, pulling himself back by his elbows.

In a flash Itachi was upon him, a kunai at his throat and digging into his flesh.

For a moment his eyes seemed to flash red, then he looked at her. She knew she looked aghast, but she was still unused to her sensei's vicious side, much more accustomed to his thoughtful, pacifistic self.

Itachi withdrew the kunai, eyes dark and familiar once more, and he pinched a pressure point expertly. The man's head lolled back as he fell unconscious.

Then Itachi's hard fingers were digging into her arm and yanking her to her feet.

His face was alight with anger, scowling furiously at her, "Why didn't you wait for me at the cabin?" He demanded, shaking her arm, "I told you to wait for me there!"

The whimper escaped her lips completely unbidden, but every movement was tearing up her side and she couldn't help the cry of pain she made.

His face changed completely then, the scowl dropping away in favour of deep worry. He turned her around and stared at her wound.

"Where else are you hurt?" He asked, his brow wrinkled in concern, "Where?"

Everywhere, she wanted to answer, but her legs were collapsing underneath her and her eyes shut without warning.

As she sank into the darkness, she felt hands pick her back up gently.

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A damp cloth pressed against her forehead. Its touch was soothing. She reared up when the cloth was taken away, but it came back dripping wet and even cooler.

"Itachi."

"Don't talk, just sleep."

Her head was hot, splitting agony and she couldn't move.

"It hurts, sensei…"

"I know. I'm sorry."

Memories of the fight were coming back to her, piece by piece.

"I'm sorry, sensei; I think I lost my kunai…"

"Don't worry."

"It hurts."

"Sakura. Sakura, look at me. Look in my eyes. Sleep."

And she was so tired all of a sudden, weary down to her bones and when sleep came rushing towards her, she embraced it gratefully.

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She awoke to the sensation of cool water dripping down her stomach.

Her eyes opened blearily to reveal a stone-faced Itachi, a basin filled with water in one hand, a sopping wet cloth in the other.

"I have to clean your wound." He said woodenly, not meeting her eyes.

He set the basin aside and reached for the antiseptic.

"I'm sorry." Sakura whispered.

Itachi ignored her, his jaw clenching.

"I thought you might be in trouble." She explained, wincing as the antiseptic burnt its way into her bloodstream.

"I was on a mission and you disobeyed me." Itachi replied coldly, "You lost a lot of blood and you easily could have died. You would have if you were not incredibly easy to track. The moment you started up the hill you had at least one man on your tail. It didn't take me long to find you, as a result."

"I'm sorry," Sakura said, aching for Itachi to at least look at her, "But I'd do it again."

Itachi breathed in deeply, then started to clean her wound again, visibly angered.

"I was worried about you. I couldn't stay here without knowing if you were alright or not."

"I was fine." He snapped. "I will always be fine. I do not need your help. You are not my partner or my teammate. You are my student and it is your responsibility to learn from me, not try to protect me. You will not endanger yourself needlessly on my behalf, I will not have your death on my conscience."

Sakura could see Raban sitting on the windowsill. He cocked his head at her.

"You'd do it for me." She smiled.

Itachi stared at her in disbelief.

"Of course I would. But that is because I am capable and am not likely to end up dead myself."

"Why can't you just… I don't know, appreciate the effort?" She asked sullenly.

"Because the thought of losing you is not something I am prepared to contemplate," He said sternly, leaning in and placing his forehead against hers to check her temperature, "so I cannot be thankful that you would risk your life so pointlessly. Promise me now; you will never do this again."

"What? Sensei…"

"Promise me."

Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes, "Fine, I promise. No unwanted heroics, silly me."

"Good."

After her side was clean and bandaged up neatly, he pressed a kiss against the side of her face.

"And thank you for risking your life for me." He said solemnly.


	12. Chapter 12

What is the standard minimal curve of a kunai and how does it affect accuracy? Calculate the percentage and show your work. For bonus points, detail how best to counter the issue.

Sakura let out a tiny snort, barely audible. Still, one of the examiners, a one-eyed, grizzled woman scowled at her. Sakura raised her eyebrow in a brief, barely-there display of amusement.

She was four years off the scared, authority-fearing little girl she used to be.

Amusingly enough, the majority of the exam questions were variations of the ones she had answered aged twelve. They must have a rotation. Lucky her. Not that they were particularly difficult, regardless.

She scribbled her answer down, absently explaining the bonus portion of the question. Half of her attention was elsewhere, on what Itachi was doing. He hadn't shown up in Konoha or sent a message in months, and Sakura hadn't overheard any rumours of Akatsuki activity either. She was around about sixteen percent worried something had happened to him, but the rest of her was merely annoyed that he hadn't bothered to contact her.

The next question required a drafting compass for plotting navigation. She flagged one of the examiners down and requested one, receiving a very odd look at the same time. Apparently, initiative was unheard of in this room of fresh-faced genin. The rest of them appeared to be struggling with pencils alone.

If your seemingly compassionate guardian is later revealed to be a mass murderer, whose opinion do you trust? Your own or the authorities who have more evidence to back up their claims? What is material evidence in the face of intuition and trust? What is worth more, feelings or facts?

Sakura had these questions running through her mind on a loop as she wrote out her answers on paper (…if the root of the system is based on economy, consider how best to destabilise it…), her thoughts buzzing and bleeding into one another – feelings or facts? Trust or evidence?

A shinobi must see the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings.

A shinobi must prepare before it is too late to.

A shinobi must always put the mission first.

A shinobi must never show any weakness.

The only sounds in the examination room were the muffled rustling of clothing, the scratch of pen against paper, and the harried, agitated breathing of her fellow genin.

Tsunade had kindly pointed out that Sakura had already passed the exam aged twelve with flying colours (by cutting the wire, taking the third option, passing the unpassable test instead of being forced to cheat), had successfully survived the Forest of Death, a test with an infamous body count attached (though she had only lived thanks to multiple interventions of other shinobi), met a missing nin/wayward Sannin and lived to tell the tale, and had her second fight interrupted by an invasion.

There was no telling if she could have made chuunin on her own that year, but Tsunade had decided that, in order to become a legitimate chuunin now, she need only take the written exam and do a selection of ranked missions.

She had spent several miserable weeks weeding gardens and chasing errant cats around the village, but if she passed this written exam (and she obviously would), Tsunade was going to let her go on C-rank missions. Which meant leaving the village. Attended at all times, of course. Sakura wondered if the whole thing was just a test to see if Sakura would run the first chance she got or if hordes of Akatsuki members would descend from the sky the moment she set foot outside the village borders.

Sakura completed the last question and slumped back in her seat, still deep in thought. She just barely noticed an examiner approach her desk and lifted her hands in time to let him take her paper. No secret question number ten, no whatever you do, don't cheat because we will find out and we will kill you rule, and though it seemed as though most of the genin had come in teams, not all of them had, so gone was the 'if one fails, all fail,' rule from before.

With Tsunade's reign, the tests were tweaked to be more manageable, death was still a possibility but not actively encouraged, the use of strategy and teamwork more prized and all in all, the Chunnin Exam seemed much easier to pass.

Sakura wondered which was harsher – the Sandaime's strict, debilitating, demoralising, life-threatening Exam, which killed a lot more entrants and produced far less chuunin, or the Godaime's softer approach, granting chuunin status a lot more often, ending up with chuunin who might not be suitable for the job and leaving a lot more failures alive.

She traced the Akatsuki cloud on the desk. She wasn't a fool. Whatever Akatsuki did, they were a threat to Konoha.

Why else would her being with Itachi have been such a big deal? Not for her sake, surely. Maybe with Team Seven – minus Anko and Umeko, plus Kakashi – it was her they were worried about, but Tsunade had never even met her before.

Does the name 'Akatsuki' mean anything to you? Tsunade had asked her, her gaze steady and sharp.

No, they cared only because it was Itachi who had taken her. The infamous, hated murderer, born from the village's most accomplished clan, skilled, perhaps too skilled for his age, the one who had slaughtered some and betrayed the rest. His continued existence was an insult to Konoha. Suddenly kidnapping a little nobody genin and training her up? That had to be fuelling their paranoia. What if it wasn't an isolated incident, they had to wonder, what if there were more children being indoctrinated within their ranks, more ticking time bombs too skilled for their age, planted at the hearts of each clan?

Nonsense, of course, but they couldn't know that unless she told them.

Akatsuki, with their mysterious missions that left Itachi aching and sour, wrung-out exhausted. Akatsuki, the name Tsunade expected her to not know, a name whispered only in private by those in the know and by Konan's unsmiling mouth – they were up to something, something that left Itachi right in the middle of a conflict between them and his hometown.

War was brewing and Tsunade was preparing for it with countless, inexperienced, newly appointed chuunin.

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"Watch me, Sakura-chan!" Naruto chirped, walking on his hands.

Sasuke nudged one of Naruto's madly waving legs as he walked past him, deadpan expression not flickering as Naruto fell, letting out an outraged cry.

"Sasuke-teme." Naruto growled gutturally, hands snatching out in vain attempts to drag Sasuke down with him.

"I'm watching, Naruto." Sakura called sweetly. Anko chuckled at her side.

"No, don't look!" Naruto wriggled furiously as Sasuke actually deigned to lean in for a bit of play fighting. Naruto's knee collided with his chin and he winced, kicking out at his downed friend. "Argh! It was an accident!"

"So was this," Sasuke drew back his foot, wobbling under Naruto's repeated shoving movements, landing a hit directly in Naruto's stomach, winding him, "Sorry. Your fault, you kept pushing me."

Naruto howled out an insult against Sasuke's upbringing, the taller boy retaliated by pinning him down completely, leaving him no room to wriggle free.

"This," Sakura said dubiously, sweeping a hand to encompass the general surrounding area, "is training?"

Anko nodded, "Yep. Wrestling builds camaraderie. And stamina. And a bunch of other stuff, no doubt." She was currently chewing away happily, dango sticks spearing the ground around her.

"Anko-sensei teaches us to fight dirty!" Naruto shouted, trying to bring his hands together to form a seal. He grunted as Sasuke captured his wrists.

"People – ow – don't expect - ack - Sasuke get off of my neck! People don't expect our tactics!" Naruto aimed a big grin in Sakura's direction before reaching out to bite Sasuke squarely on the cheek.

Sasuke's eyes turned red. Naruto screamed.

"Maybe because your tactics are insane?" Sakura suggested.

"Precisely," Anko nodded wisely, "Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna complain, right? Waaa, the mean shinobi kicked me in the quad – no one'll care. Seriously. And this is the easy stuff, normally I make 'em fight to the death."

"And yet neither of them appear to be dead."

"That's because they hold back like a bunch of FUCKING PANSIES!" She hollered, throwing her last stick at the wrestling pair, "Alright ladies, break it up! No wait, you gonna let him get away with that? Hit him back! What are you, a delicate flower? Hit – him – in – the – balls!"

"And what do you do for training?" Sakura weakly asked Umeko.

"Oh, I usually join in with the fighting." She replied brightly.

Sakura glanced back at the red-faced, screeching boys rolling around on the ground, "Really?"

"Ha! Good luck resurrecting your clan now!" Anko cackled as Sasuke doubled over, clutching himself.

"It's quite fun." Umeko said serenely.

"So I see." Sakura struggled not to laugh at Sasuke's purpling face or Naruto's triumphant hoots.

There was a new, feral quality to Naruto's movements, a savage, natural grace that he had not possessed before. He reminded Sakura of Kiba – they shared the same frenetic energy and brutish joy in combat.

Sasuke was as smooth and skilled as ever, but somehow, Naruto seemed to have caught up to him in ability. Four years ago, Sasuke would have wiped the floor with Naruto, and now the two of them grappled on equal ground. Sasuke had changed more in terms of personality, he didn't hesitate to touch others anymore, affectionately cuffing Naruto's ear or kicking out at his shins playfully, and he seemed to be far less restrained, no longer holding back in conversation or lurking on his own.

"By the way, kid, did you hear?" Anko turned to face Sakura, looking gleeful, "A few more D-rank missions and you can come play with us out in the field."

"I did hear, yes." Sakura smiled, a little uneasy. She had been in Konoha for a while now, long enough for her to start putting down roots. She had found nothing on Itachi or Akatsuki, despite lingering a little too long in Tsunade's office, devoting most of her time to eavesdropping and nearly giving herself an ulcer from the stress of maintaining her blithe façade whenever Itachi was mentioned (not often).

She was in this for the long run, like it or not, so it only made sense that she should be pleased about being given more freedom, but the display of trust from Tsunade made her insides churn in queasy guilt.

She missed Kisame. She had been eating dinner with her mother when suddenly, the image of Kisame's wide, unsettling grin came to mind and she had been struck by a vicious longing to see him again.

Raban's croak echoed through her dreams.

Whenever she saw Sasuke, she saw his brother instead.

"You'll fit in just fine." Anko said placidly. Naruto and Sasuke rolled past her legs and she chuckled.

"Sure." Sakura muttered doubtfully, almost missing Umeko's questioning glance.

Team Seven had been split, fractured and divided. The way it was now, four years of change and absence, two members replaced, Sakura couldn't see a place for her to fit in at all.

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"Do you feel one with the fish yet?" Tsunade asked distantly, turning a page of her book.

"I'll let you know." Sakura replied, fingers digging into scales and flesh, the chill of the unfamiliar sensation sending ripples of discomfort throughout her skin. If her tone of voice was a little too bold or casual for a student speaking to a master, Tsunade did not appear to notice or care.

She had been trying to become 'one' with a dead fish for the better part of an hour now, and she was tired. Her mouth was dry, her hands were cold and aching and she had a piercing headache settled over one eye. She wasn't happy.

"You may be able to revive the fish by the next session. It's all about careful transference of energy. If you pour too much in, you may just reanimate the flesh and nothing else. Not enough energy and you'll have the same problem you have now: nothing happens."

"Am I just wasting chakra?" Sakura asked, frustrated.

"No. You are beginning to test the limits of energy transfer. This process is very useful. You're focusing too much on the end result, try to concentrate on filtering the appropriate amount of chakra. You have exceptional chakra control, you just need to find the right amount you need."

Sakura took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pulsing ache in her brow. The fish hardly smelt at all now – or she had just gotten used to its stench – so the breath was clear, soothing.

Concentrate.

She let her chakra filter into the fish slowly, testing the waters. Colour swirled through the connection between her fingers and the fish's flesh. She felt a twitching response where the chakra pulsed the strongest.

"Nearly," Tsunade said, peering over her shoulder. Sakura managed not to leap all the way out of her skin at the sudden proximity. Being around Tsunade made her feel guilty and hunted. Her calm, amber gaze didn't really help defuse her agitation, for some reason it made her feel worse. "A little more and you've got it."

The last few months had been strange to say the least. Chasing cats and weeding gardens in her spare time was dull, but she could deal with that. Having the Hokage dog her footsteps constantly, watching her with unreadable eyes, slipping a pithy comment in here and there and essentially keeping her glued to her side – that was much more difficult to deal with. She couldn't figure out the older woman's motive. One minute she was watching her like a hawk, subtly probing her for information during 'casual' conversations, the next she was giving her the day off or praising her technique. Sakura thought perhaps the constant proximity was an attempt to encourage a bond to form between them organically, to challenge her loyalty to Itachi, but Tsunade never tried to befriend her outright. Never asked about her day, never tried to bring their personal lives into their training sessions, never offered her more than a smile and a quick, sincere compliment for a job well done.

When Sakura had first returned, she had been an angry, twitchy girl, snapping defensive comments whenever Itachi's name was besmirched. She had stood in Tsunade's office, tears still staining her cheeks, and shivered when the possibility of abuse was brought up. Tsunade had been very gentle, very considerate, when she thought Sakura had been hurt. The tests hadn't proved any of her suspicions, Sakura knew. Maybe… maybe she didn't have any ulterior motive. Maybe this apprenticeship was Tsunade giving her a chance.

More roots. At this rate, Sakura would be stuck here, weighed down by expectations and responsibilities. She couldn't go chasing after Itachi now, or follow him if he asked.

The fish gave a shudder, then sagged back into the tray, motionless.

"Damn." Sakura dug her fingers back in angrily, but a pale hand encircled her wrist.

"That's enough of that," Tsunade said calmly, "do you think you could dissect it?"

"Do you – do you have –"

"You can use a chakra scalpel, Sakura."

Well, this was hardly going to test her. Tsunade knew she had mastered this months ago, back with Ryouta. Sakura rolled her eyes, face turned away from Tsunade's gaze. She was clearly trying to make her feel better, letting her fall back on an old technique instead of consistently screwing up a new one.

Sakura began to slice the fish, brows drawn in concentration.

"What do you know of Itachi's past?" Tsunade drawled, right next to her ear.

Sakura did not flinch. She drew her hand across the mid-section of the fish calmly.

"He was Sasuke's brother and he killed their family." Sakura said tonelessly.

"Those are facts. He never told you anything personal?"

"His favourite colour was pink." Sakura said flippantly.

Tsunade's unimpressed face came into view as she leaned over the table the fish rested upon. "Give me something concrete, Sakura."

"Salmon pink." Sakura finished the neat incision and pinched the flesh around it.

"Friends, family, allies? Anything will be helpful."

"We've already had several chats about this. I've told you everything."

"Funnily enough, I think you're holding out on me."

"I'm done." Sakura pushed the tray away, "Is the session over?"

Tsunade moved back, looking disappointed. "I'm trusting you enough to let you go on missions. I let you take the Chuunin entrance exam to regain your genin status, an enormously unorthodox move as far as the Council's concerned, because I trusted you. It certainly wasn't the typical way one would become a genin after retirement. I gave you a chance. And you can't give me anything?"

Ah, emotional blackmail. At least she knew how to react to his.

"I can't give you anything more than I already have," Sakura said calmly, "I'm sorry. I want to help you, but I can't."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. Sakura let her face slacken, blank of all expression.

"You can't revive the fish because you aren't giving an equal amount of energy." Tsunade said brusquely, "It requires skill and precision. You aren't trying hard enough. We will have our next session after your mission with Team Seven. I hope you muster up some motivation by then."

xxxxxxxx

Anko was bouncing on the balls of her feet. It was oddly distracting.

"The mission is fairly simple, as it's a C-rank," Tsunade explained. Sasuke shot Sakura a foul look as if blaming her for forcing him to endure mediocrity, "There is a large wild boar terrorising a village not far from here. It's been reported that its size indicates it poses a significant threat to the local populace. Put it down and ensure there are no casualties involved. Complete the mission with those requirements fulfilled and your reward will be thirty thousand ryō."

Anko snatched up the file from Tsunade's desk, still cheerfully bouncing, "Are there any limitations to how we kill it?"

Tsunade eyed her warily, "Make it quick, clean, and do not endanger anyone with flashy techniques or explosions. Please. Do not summon a python to watch them do battle."

Anko deflated, shoulders sagging in disappointment.

Naruto threw his arm around Sakura's neck, "Yeah! Team Seven reformed! Except for Kakashi-sensei, of course."

Anko gave him a filthy look.

"Team Seven is not reformed, Naruto," Tsunade replied in the bored tones of one who has already been through this argument before, "Sakura is working alongside you, Sasuke and Anko. It will be a useful training and morale-boosting exercise."

"Yeah! Killing boar!" Naruto sounded enthused.

"I'd like to lend my skills." Kakashi said from the window. The three youngest in the room all jumped. Tsunade turned to glare at him. He turned a page of his luridly orange book unconcernedly.

"I don't have time for your mid-life crisis, Hatake." The Hokage said sternly.

"I won't take a cut of the pay." Kakashi said sweetly.

"Then, by all means," Tsunade inclined her head, "but remember, no flashy tricks."

He placed a hand over his heart, affecting surprise and indignation, "Me? Flashy? Never."

He hopped into the room and strolled over to the assembled team, pausing to mess up Sasuke's hair.

"The location of the boar is in the file." Tsunade said, her expression long-suffering, "Be quick."

"This is gonna be so cool!" Naruto jumped up happily, "Sakura-chan, you'll finally see us in action!"

"It's really something to witness," Kakashi said, "Blood, tears, screaming… and wait till you see what they do to their enemies."

Sasuke gave a little scoff, carefully straightening out his hair.

xxxxxxxx

Umeko met them at the gate.

"Why can't you come?" Sakura asked, "Kakashi-sensei poached a spot on the team, you could too."

Umeko gave a wavering smile, "Oh, it's not my place. And I've only just started doing missions again, I don't want to get in the way because I'm out of practice."

"Well, alright. It shouldn't take long anyway." Sakura said unsurely, a little concerned by the girl's expression.

The sun was high and the breeze had died down, leaving the grass bone-dry and brittle.

"We'll bring you a souvenir," Kakashi said brightly, "Perhaps a blood-covered tusk."

"If it's not too much trouble." Umeko laughed, "Good luck. Be careful."

"Careful is for boring people," Anko announced, "We're gonna be flashy and brilliant instead."

"I do believe we were specifically ordered to not be either of those things." Kakashi murmured.

"Please. Like I can't roast a pig without endangering people." Anko shrugged.

Sasuke was going through his pack, checking he had got everything, but Sakura had seen his lips twitch in amusement at several times throughout the conversation.

Naruto was beside Sasuke, buzzing in excitement.

"C'mon, let's go!" He yelled, taking off suddenly.

"Well, I guess we're off." Kakashi said dryly, following at a much more sedate pace.

Anko charged after Naruto.

Sakura exchanged put-upon glances with Sasuke. It looked as though this mission was going to be a little more energetic than she was used to.

Umeko waved as they left, growing smaller and smaller until she finally disappeared completely.

The leaves were browning slightly in the sunlight. Sakura was reminded of the brief time she and Itachi had lived in the outskirts of Suna. The all-pervading heat and humidity had been torture. Without Konoha's trademark breeze, Sakura was feeling slightly overwhelmed by the heat.

"Are we nearly there yet?" She heard Naruto snicker from up ahead, still maintaining his bouncing pace.

xxxxxxxx

"Aaaand if we follow this river we should be nearing the site of…" Anko looked up from her map and grinned wildly, "Guess we're here."

Several trees were broken in half, lying in splintered heaps. The ground had been gouged out, gored and scraped up. They were at the bottom of an incline, some intact trees still dotting the surface of the raised ground. Shade stretched out beneath them, looking invitingly cool. Sakura's hair was stuck to the back of her neck, damp with sweat.

Other than the broken scenery, there were no signs that the boar was nearby. The river was still, the ground without a tremor and she could not hear the harsh pants of a crazed animal or smell its filthy hide.

The village lay on the horizon, seemingly untouched. There was a stretch of land between their positions without trees or any kind of cover. Sakura could not see any signs of a behemoth anywhere.

"Anyone smelling roast pork yet, or is that just me?" Anko folded the map and shoved it into her pack, hands clenching into fists in anticipation.

There was a deep chuckle. Sakura turned to smile at Kakashi, enjoying his renewed company. He stopped still, glancing around.

"I always find flesh most appetising when it is raw… and frightened."

Sakura stopped breathing.

Sasuke clutched at the back of his neck in agony.

Orochimaru's gaunt, pale face stretched as a wide, sickening grin began to spread.

"Hello again, Sasuke-kun. It has been far too long."


	13. Pain demands to be felt

Merle was a brash, boastful bird with no real skill to back it up. She had a big mouth that, more often than not, got her and Sakura into more trouble than the bird was worth. She was a squawking nuisance, overprotective and blind to her own limits.

And Sakura had never been more grateful for her existence in her life.

The crow followed her everywhere she went, usually at a discreet distance, sometimes blending into a group of her fellows, anxiously observing Sakura from above. In all the years Sakura had been summoning her, she had never quite understood that Sakura was a shinobi and fully capable of defending herself.

A murder of crows passed by overhead, missing one of their number. A small puff of smoke signalled Merle's disappearance. As dim as she was, she could sense the difference in chakra signatures – Orochimaru's dwarfed all of theirs put together. She knew Sakura was in trouble.

Although Merle was Sakura's contracted animal, the crow was capable of transporting herself to Itachi's location, wherever he may be at the time. It was probably Merle's only skill, being able to pinpoint chakra signatures and essentially summon herself in reverse, back to them. Merle had often startled Sakura by appearing suddenly in a cloud of smoke and feathers, cawing a loud greeting to signal her arrival. It was a mixed blessing that Merle wasn't terribly smart, she'd be deadly otherwise.

"It's been a while," Anko said, seemingly calm. She was wearing a slight smile, despite the fiery chakra blazing and pulsing in her throat. The same markings were twitching and spreading across Sasuke's pale skin. "Haven't seen you since the last Chuunin Exam, sensei."

"Oh? I had forgotten." Orochimaru laughed, his voice slick and oily, "You must not have made much of an impression, Anko-chan."

Naruto and Sasuke were both as tense as a coiled spring, but both of them remained silent, watching the adults talk. Sasuke's face was tight in restrained pain.

Anko made a noise of disgust.

"Is Sakura-chan back on the team, then?" Kabuto said softly, glancing between her and his master. Orochimaru's golden eyes landed on Sakura's face and she fought the urge to look away. Her skin was crawling under his gaze.

"We were surprised to see her go," Orochimaru said, "And to disappear so completely, as if she had never existed…"

None of the others said anything or made a telling movement, but a triumphant smirk crossed Orochimaru's face regardless as the silence grew.

"Do you have a theory, Kabuto-kun?" The ex-Sannin touched Kabuto's cheek with his chalk-white fingers. Kabuto's face was blank, unresponsive to his master's touch. Sakura shuddered on his behalf.

"Her disappearance was professionally done." Kabuto shrugged, carefully not dislodging Orochimaru's loose grip on his face, "It seemed to reek of a cover-up."

"Was there a scandal?" Orochimaru breathed, staring at each member of Team Seven, old and new, in turn, "Did little Sakura-chan do something wrong? You know I was carefully monitoring my Sasuke-kun's team, just in case… and when he lost the girl, there was a slip, wasn't there? Oh, we were interested in that…"

Sakura hazarded a glance at Sasuke, confused. He was scowling directly at Orochimaru, his hand clasped around his neck.

"It took months for them to trust poor Sasuke-kun again, didn't it? Naruto-kun got off easily, what with being so valuable, but poor Sasuke-kun was scolded awfully, wasn't he?"

Sakura remembered Ino's words.

Did Naruto and Sasuke-kun tell you what they did? How they snuck out of the village and tried to track you down?

They didn't get far.

Naruto was crying.

Did something else happen that Sakura didn't know about?

"Is there no boar, then?" Sakura cut in before Orochimaru could manage yet another poisonous question, another insidious attempt to demoralise them. He turned back to face her, releasing Kabuto. His smile was two grave worms stretched upwards on a corpse's face. "Only, we came here because we had a mission. If there is no mission, there is no pay, and I'd like to know ahead of schedule if you've wasted more than my time with your snide remarks."

"I remember your tears." Orochimaru replied, out of the blue. Sakura blinked, confused by the sudden change in conversation, "The frightened, helpless tears of a little girl who is seconds from wetting herself in fear. I remember the stench of your blood and sweat, how you clung to your teammates and the tremors that racked your body as I inched closer… deciding whether or not… to bite!"

Against her will, Sakura flinched.

"Prey should always know their place on the food chain," He smiled smugly, "Or risk being reminded."

Kabuto let out a dry chuckle.

"But you had a question, didn't you, dear girl? I must apologise… I so often digress in these situations. I trust Kabuto-kun to – "

"'It would be a waste if you died… not to mention he would be angry.'" Sakura quoted.

Orochimaru did not forget conversations as he had intimated earlier, simply to rouse Anko's ire. It was obvious he recalled when and why he had said what he had. She saw his golden eyes narrow, a speculative gleam beginning to form.

In the Forest of Death, Orochimaru had been close to biting her, as he had Sasuke. It was only his realisation that she was somehow connected to Itachi that had stopped him.

Sakura was no fool, and this was no idle chat between friends. She was playing her only hand a little early, perhaps, but if reminding him of Itachi's wrath kept him from hurting her or her friends, it was only prudent to bring it up as soon as possible.

Kakashi shifted on his feet, possibly confused by her outwardly random statement.

Kabuto was expressionless, but something about his body language made Sakura feel certain he was curious about his master's reaction to her words.

So. Not as helpless as Orochimaru had been boasting. She had the shield of Akatsuki's cloak wrapped around her, and Orochimaru knew it.

Go ahead, attack me. See what happens. She smiled a little, letting her confidence spill through.

Then Orochimaru's chakra rolled out in malevolent waves and everyone except her was still, grimacing in pain.

Kabuto wordlessly flew at Sakura, just a blur of silver hair and glasses before his fist grazed the side of her face. She rolled with the punch and blocked his next attempt with her forearm, adrenaline kicking in immediately.

Time slowed down. She could see the twitch in Kabuto's left eye that meant he was striking from the right. The muscles clenching in his arms. The blur of chakra that began to streak across his fingertips.

She shifted back on the balls of her feet, dodging his attempts to slice through her jugular, and kicked out at the side of his knee. He buckled, quickly recovering – still, his stumble put him off balance and Sakura took full advantage, the palm of her hand whipping out to smack him in the throat. He gasped and tried to retreat, she followed closely, not willing to let his attack slide.

Then a kunai nearly clipped her face and she growled in annoyance because all of a sudden he was faster than she was! The previous attacks had been him testing the waters, gauging her skills.

The two of them slipped into a dance, kunai slicing the air and fists and feet getting faster and closer to their targets with each attempt to connect.

Sakura changed the game and added a stream of hissing, acidic cherry blossoms to her fists. She grazed Kabuto's cheek and he shot backwards in alarm, cursing.

He returned to his master's side.

Whatever jutsu Orochimaru was holding the others with stopped and they all relaxed, rubbing the stiffness out of their muscles. Anko glared daggers at her old sensei.

Kabuto wiped a glowing hand over his cheek and the melted flesh was restored. He was smiling.

Orochimaru tilted his head.

"Her style of fighting... I've observed it once before. It is a crude, pale imitation of Uchiha Itachi's technique." Kabuto announced, adjusting his glasses.

Sasuke stiffened.

Orochimaru gave a deep, throaty chuckle. "Then it is as we thought, Kabuto-kun. Sakura-chan has been a very naughty girl indeed."

Sakura couldn't look at any of them. They all knew, but having it rubbed in their faces by Orochimaru of all people...

"And yet, none of her team appear surprised." Kabuto commented.

"We know and we don't care!" Naruto burst out. Sakura looked at him, startled. A vein was throbbing in his forehead, his blue eyes flashing in anger, "Sakura-chan's back, that's all that matters!"

Kabuto's smile only widened. Naruto's chakra flared out.

Orochimaru glanced at Naruto, analytical eyes sweeping over his frame with wary interest.

"And Sasuke-kun?" He said softly, "Don't you care? Sakura-chan and your beloved brother... how much do you really know? How many lies has your little friend fed you? It must burn, not knowing what is real and what is not... Has she been lying all along? Just like him?"

Sasuke was shaking. The curse seal was a mass of writhing flames.

"You've been watching us, so you know I replaced Kakashi," Anko snapped, stepping in front of Sasuke, "You think I spent that time filing my nails? I taught the kid a trick or two."

Sasuke breathed in and out slowly, beginning to smirk.

The curse seal started to wane, the colour fading.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

"When I saw you last, Sasuke-kun, it was power you sought. Revenge. Have you forgotten that? Or have you simply stopped caring about what happened to your family? The blood on your brother's hands. Do you not care anymore? Have you forgotten how your parents died?"

Sasuke grimaced, hands clenched into fists at his side.

"I thought perhaps, if I waited... you would have grown stronger on your own, become Itachi's equal. But I see now... you are nowhere near his strength."

Sasuke lunged towards Orochimaru. Anko slung an arm around his chest and hauled him backwards.

"Yeah, you'd want him to think that, wouldn't you?" Anko said cheerfully, "To think that he needs you. Except that's not true. You're a walking corpse living on borrowed time, nothing but a leech clinging to other people's power. You'd drag him down. You couldn't kill Itachi before and there's no guarantee you'd even try again. 'Cause the truth is, you're a big, fat coward. You couldn't face the ultimate truth every genin gets over in their first year: everybody dies. Shinobi especially. Sasuke, here, is so much better than you, old man. He ain't afraid to die if it means avenging his family. He lives for his goal and you?" Anko snorted contemptously, "Your goal is to live."

Orochimaru's smile was wavering, "Is that jealousy I hear? Sasuke-kun has the same seal as you, but so much more potential... Let's face it, you were merely a prototype. He is the real thing. You were nothing more than a disappointing waste of resources."

"Yeah, maybe," Anko shrugged, "I don't care. It's been a long time since I looked up to you or even cared 'bout what you thought of me. Now, I'm a jounin sensei, I get a comfortable wage, a nice apartment, enough alcohol to take a bath in and more dango than I'll ever need. Maybe my problem was that I didn't care enough. No ambition. I never wanted the power you offered. Me being disappointing to you is your problem, not mine."

Orochimaru laughed.

His next words were inaudible – white noise. His hands formed a seal and Sakura -

Sakura fell.

xxxxxxxx

The door was stuck.

Sakura flung herself against it. The wood groaned and creaked, but failed to shift.

She stood back, nervous energy fizzing through her body, hands fluttering uselessly. There was no lock on the door, why wouldn't it open? Was something blocking the way outside?

Itachi might have blocked it off after leaving to stop her following him. Why would he do that? Was he tired of her? Maybe... maybe he didn't want her anymore. Maybe she wasn't progressing quickly enough. Maybe he had thought she was stronger than she was, and now he was disappointed.

Sakura imagined being trapped inside this wooden cabin forever. Her stomach felt as though it was tearing itself to bits. Rats ran across her skin, making her tremble all over. She was lost. Alone.

Where was the cabin?

There was nothing outside.

Sakura wrapped her arms around herself.

She just needed to think. Her mind was a mess.

Knives sliced through her thoughts, shredding them before they could occur to her.

The cabin was locked, Itachi was gone.

What if he was in danger?

She remembered something then: Itachi, anticipating his latest mission – to... to kill the... the bandits, they were threatening...

Itachi was on a mission.

How long had he been? If she could just remember...

Sakura angrily kicked the door. She drew her leg back for another kick and froze.

There was no lock on the door.

But that wasn't right, surely?

At nights, when it was cold and Sakura was already huddled under the blankets, Itachi would turn the lock and crawl into his own bed before blowing the candle out.

Every night.

The lock, Itachi –

Slowly, painfully slowly, as though he didn't want to spook her, black melted away bit by bit to reveal red.

...What?

Itachi's eyes... there was a secret.

Red. Sharingan.

Sasuke.

Uchiha.

"Uchiha Itachi," Tsunade leant forward in her chair, "murdered his own clan. His and Sasuke's parents. Do you understand that? Did he tell you?"

The cabin – it was -

Thousands of petals poured from her palm in a violent stream and struck the cabin all at once.

Gone.

The door wasn't locked or stuck, it wasn't even there.

"Genjutsu." Sakura muttered, backing up against the illusory wall as darkness rushed to claim her.

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Sakura caught herself as she fell, hands shooting and hitting the ground.

She gasped. It felt like breaking the surface of the ocean and taking her first, life-saving breath.

Kakashi stood next to her, trembling. A kunai impaled the palm of his hand. His eyes were clouded with pain, but aware, his Sharingan whirring around fretfully.

He met her gaze and gave a slight nod.

She anxiously looked to the others and what she saw made her jaw drop.

Naruto's mouth was open in a silent snarl, flecks of saliva on his chin. His eyes were wide and glassily vacant and red – blood red – Sakura's stomach dropped, Uchiha? But no – the pupils were slits and there were no tomoes...

His chakra hung in the air all around him, scarlet and noxious. If Orochimaru's chakra felt like an oil spill, Naruto's felt like gasoline burning.

Sakura looked at Kakashi, completely bewildered, a silent question in her eyes.

He raised a finger to his lips, "It might be best not to wake him," He whispered, "I can't control him like this."

Like what?!

What had Orochimaru done to him?

She could see figures in the near distance, Anko grappling with Orochimaru, snakes writhing all around them, hissing and snapping, Kabuto talking to Sasuke, his expression calmly unconcerned. Sasuke looked spitting mad. His mouth was red with blood.

"I woke Sasuke up," Kakashi whispered, "It was the most I could do."

Kakashi's entire body was racked with shudders, agony furrowing his brow. The little of his face that was visible was sweating.

Whatever Kakashi had been forced to see, it had been unpleasant enough that the effects continued on afterwards.

Sakura gritted her teeth. Sure, her vision wasn't great either, the crippling, all-encompassing sense of loss, the inability to think clearly... they had been unbearable. But the most she was left with was a bad taste in her mouth and the sting of her palms from breaking her fall.

Kakashi couldn't join the fight.

Sakura could.

She gave a grim smile, imagining what both Kurenai and Itachi would have to say about her getting caught in a genjutsu and leaving herself vulnerable.

Using genjutsu against her... That just hurt her pride.

The Dusk Crow genjutsu had been tricky in the past, but she had spent years perfecting, altering and personalising it.

Now, she let it out.

Orochimaru looked up, Kabuto froze.

The air surrounding them was so thick with crows it was simply a mass of dark feathers. Eyes and sharp beaks gleamed, wings beat the air and the noise of their cawing intensified. A heavy purple mist hung over them.

Sakura whispered into the jutsu, letting their private fears take root inside it. Her voice was the mouthpiece, their subconscious would speak for her.

Terror bled through. Sakura caught a wave of it and grimaced – the fear had been deep-seated and old, dying, ceasing to be, leaving nothing behind, never seeing his parents again, oblivion – then she pushed paranoia back in retaliation.

"Sakura!"

She opened her eyes. Something heavy lay across her chest, she shoved at it until it grumbled and moved away on its own.

Sasuke pushed himself up, his body blocking her subtly even while standing.

There was a new cut on her cheek and Kabuto stood before her, his glasses askew, his chakra quietly murderous.

So – Sasuke had shoved her away from Kabuto's attack, he must have broken free on his own. A quick glance told her Orochimaru did not seem affected or interested, he was still fighting Anko.

Damn.

Kakashi was still motionless, though he had managed to remove the kunai from his hand.

Naruto had not moved, still a bestial image of pure rage.

Kabuto took a step towards them, but his head snapped around to stare at Anko and Orochimaru.

Anko was pinning him to a tree, he was laughing. Sakura strained to listen, "...it didn't work before, my dear. But if you are willing to die for nothing, by all means..."

Sasuke shot forwards, but not before Sakura glimpsed genuine panic on his face.

She followed, narrowly avoiding Kabuto as he did the same.

"Stop! Don't do it, it's pointless!" Sasuke shouted, wrenching Anko's shoulder back desperately, "It won't kill him, just you!"

"I have to do this, kid," Anko snapped, "I have to take him down, even if it means going down with him."

Two snakes slithered out of her sleeve and coiled around hers and Orochimaru's wrists.

"You tried this before and - "

"This time it's not a clone!" Anko yelled, glaring straight into her old sensei's eyes, "He's mocking me, he doesn't think I'll go through with it -"

A blood-stained kunai whipped through both snakes, slicing them in half neatly.

Kakashi stood nearby, one hand in his pocket, the other still outstretched.

"Damn it, Kakashi!" Anko's eyes brimmed over with tears, "I had him! I had him!"

Orochimaru erupted into smoke.

Kakashi stepped forward and gently drew a line across her skin with another kunai. Blood welled up. She blinked and swayed on her feet.

What... Anko had still been under Orochimaru's genjutsu? She had been fighting him despite that?

"I'm a damn idiot." Anko said ruefully, chuckling.

Sakura turned around just in time to catch a blow to the chest. She went down hard, the breath completely knocked out of her.

Sasuke was knocked down just as quickly, then Kabuto danced just out of Anko and Kakashi's reach as they moved to retaliate.

Sakura started to get back up, cursing, then froze. Someone was pressed up behind her, holding a knife to her throat.

"Now, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said against her neck, ice-cold lips brushing across her skin, "I have very little time left before I am forced to seek out someone else."

Sasuke stared in horror. Sakura had rarely seen him express emotion so openly before. Blood covered his mouth and chin and he was shaking very slightly.

"I have no desire to waste my time with an inferior vessel. I truly sense something great within you. You have the potential to become even stronger than your brother. I am offering you the chance to double that power, to not only destroy him and have your thirst for revenge sated, but to be strong enough to protect all of your loved ones, to never be forced to watch helplessly as they die in front of you... because you didn't have the strength to save them."

Sasuke was shaking hard now, his eyes wide in terror and disbelief.

Kakashi held his hands out as if in surrender, "Look, we know - "

"Not another word." Orochimaru said, his knife digging into Sakura's throat. She closed her mouth against the cry of pain that threatened to burst forth.

Anko's face was sour. She tossed a kunai up in the air and caught it, eyes flicking between Orochimaru, Sakura and Kabuto, who was lurking on the fringes of the confrontation, in Kakashi's way.

Sasuke took a deep breath and stepped forward, "Please." He said, swallowing hard. The word looked like it had pained him to say, "Please. I – I..."

"Do not promise him anything."

"Not a word, Kakashi." Orochimaru hissed.

"I'll do anythi -"

"No." Sakura cut in, the knife scraping against her throat as she spoke, "Don't."

Orochimaru applied pressure. She bit her lip, unable to stop the pained wheeze from slipping out.

Sasuke looked beseechingly at her, as though she could conjure a solution for him or make the decision instead.

"I'm sorry, Sakura." He choked out.

She gave him the best smile she could muster.

Orochimaru stretched his head towards her ear, "Give Itachi my regards when you see him next."

Then pain erupted from her throat and she fell forwards, screams of rage all around her. A hand pressed against her throat.

She could see the moment Anko made her decision.

With unerring accuracy, she threw the kunai so hard it soared the length between them and Naruto before sinking into his shoulder.

A beastly screech filled the air, a grating, deafening sound.

Kakashi's hand pressed against her neck and he was so close she could hear his sobs, see the shuddering motions of his chest.

Sakura tried to push his hand away, weakly scrabbling against him.

Naruto roared.

Sakura grew desperate as she felt the blood pumping out, actively fighting Kakashi's pressuring grip, unable to voice her needs.

Let go!

Then she was being lifted up, her arms dangling uselessly, blood running down her neck -

And gazing into blood red eyes.

The sky hung overhead, the colour of a fresh bruise. It looked as though a storm was brewing, the clouds dark purple and steely grey.

Sakura spluttered helplessly, cold and limp in his arms.

Raban gave a mournful cry.

Itachi looked much like the storm above, deadly, overwhelming and capable of laying waste to all within reach.

"Sakura," He said, voice tight and cold with restrained fury, "You are going to be fine. I will ensure it."


	14. Such strange and awful things

"Listen to me, Sakura," Itachi's eyes seemed to deepen in colour, her gaze magnetised to his, "You do not feel any pain."

And it was true, suddenly her neck didn't hurt at all. She reached up to touch the wound in shock, but he covered her hand with his own.

She could see Orochimaru and Kabuto staring over at them.

Her head felt heavy. She tipped it back, looking straight up at the sky.

Heat seared her throat, a sudden splash of agony. Fire licked at her throat and chin. Sakura knew the agony was there, but it didn't seem to matter all that much. Her limbs were heavy like her head, but the rest of her was floating.

"There. I've cauterised your wound. Stay here. Do not move."

"Get away from her!" Sasuke shouted, his voice ragged with emotion.

Itachi stood up, leaving Sakura kneeling on the ground, still wobbly from blood loss.

Sakura noticed Naruto, Anko and Kakashi in the distance, both jounin holding the boy in place and talking in urgent, low voices to him. His gaze was unfocused and filled with rage.

"Sasuke, he's just trying to help." Sakura wheezed, clutching her throat.

Itachi whipped round to glare at her, "Do not try to talk."

"Don't look in his eyes!" Sasuke shouted a warning, "He's not here to help, Sakura, he must be with them!" He pointed at Orochimaru and Kabuto, both watching the exchanges going on between the three of them with keen interest.

"No, Itachi and I cut all ties a while back, didn't we?" Orochimaru said silkily, "It was not the most pleasant of partings..."

Itachi did not spare him a glance, his eyes firmly on Sasuke. His younger brother glared back defiantly, his own eyes red, tomoes furiously spinning.

"If he is here for anyone, it must be the girl..." Orochimaru said, glancing between the brothers, his smirk becoming gleefully amused.

Sasuke's face drained of all remaining colour.

There was a long moment of silence as Itachi calmly surveyed the situation. Sakura could see Sasuke's entire body thrumming with contained tension, the desire to attack obvious in every inch of him.

Although the pain was nothing, she could feel her body curving forward, like a tree being battered by strong winds. Her palms hit the earth and she focused on staying mostly upright – balanced on her knees – rather than falling flat on her face.

Her breathing was strange, it felt as though there wasn't enough air no matter how deeply she breathed in. Her lungs ached. Her heart was pounding.

There was a strip of heat across her neck.

"Is this your answer for your lack of power, Sasuke?" Itachi nodded towards Orochimaru, his voice stripped bare of all emotion, flat and lifeless.

Sasuke's fists trembled, "You still haven't said why you're here."

"Not for you," Itachi said, coldly dismissive, "Why? Did you believe yourself important enough to warrant my attention? At the level you are now... weak. Pitiful."

Naruto growled. Sakura felt the hair on the back of neck rise. That angry, bestial sound was coming from Naruto? And Itachi was being so cruel... Sakura wondered briefly if there was a doppelgänger of Itachi running around. Nothing else made sense.

The growl had caught all of their attention, but Kakashi urgently spoke into Naruto's ear, a hand pushing down against his chest, and the growl quietened, sounding distant but still alarmingly present.

"Why. Are. You. Here?" Sasuke snarled.

"It appears one of my tools has been misused." Itachi said blithely, as one would talk about a pencil being blunted in their absence. His head slowly turned towards Orochimaru, whose smile became slightly manic in his attempt to appear unafraid. "I warned you once. I let you live. I believed you would not attempt to take what is mine again. Was I mistaken?"

Orochimaru made an attempt at a cocky smirk, "I did not come for the girl. Sasuke-kun interests me... another subject you and I disagree on, it seems."

"Do what you want with him." Itachi replied at once. Sakura couldn't help letting out a small gasp. "His life is of no consequence to me."

Sasuke stared down at his feet. He looked much younger than he was, his sadness and confusion laid bare on his face. Sakura could not stand the sight of how lost he looked.

Orochimaru's smirk flourished, "And the girl?"

"You claimed you did not come for her, and so she is of no consequence to you."

"That is true." The older nin nodded, licking his lips, his tongue only a fraction longer than average.

"However -"

Sakura blinked.

Kabuto was sprawled on the ground.

Itachi was in front of Orochimaru, holding him up by the neck and glaring straight into his frightened, glazed-over eyes.

Barely a second passed before Itachi dropped Orochimaru and returned to his place in front of Sakura.

" - You damaged my property." Itachi finished, an icy chill creeping into his tone. Sakura could not see his face. His body language was, as usual, unreadable.

Kabuto held Orochimaru up as he sagged, released from whatever genjutsu Itachi had held him in.

Orochimaru looked up and glared, enraged hate and agony on his face.

"You left Akatsuki without permission," Itachi said, "We have tolerated your defection, as you well know. If you do not interfere in our business, we will not interfere in yours."

For some reason, Orochimaru glanced at Naruto.

"If you intend to interfere, state it now and I will address the issue."

Orochimaru sneered, "Akatsuki's goals have never interested me. They lack... permanence. I underestimated you once, believing you were no more than a talented teenager. I will not make that mistake again."

"Then you are aware that I can, and will, kill you, should the need arise."

Orochimaru actually hissed. It should have been comical. It set Sakura's teeth on edge.

"I think, if that were case, you would have done so already." He replied.

"The need has not yet arisen." Itachi shrugged one shoulder carelessly, "That may change very soon. I suggest you leave."

"I need another host body soon, Itachi. Sasuke-kun needs power. I won't hesitate, when he comes to me." Orochimaru said balefully.

Kabuto's glasses flashed in the sunlight and then the both of them were gone, smoke rising from where they had stood. Instant transportation. It struck Sakura that Kabuto had not spoken at all in Itachi's presence. Perhaps he was cleverer than he looked.

Sakura thought Itachi might follow suit, vanishing into a puff of his own smoke, now that the danger had passed, but he simply turned to face her and put a hand under her chin, tilting her head up to examine her neck.

"Ah ah!" Anko called admonishingly, letting one hand slip from Naruto's shoulder, "Sasuke, get over here."

Sasuke had lunged forward, but at his sensei's warning tone he halted, his jaw working furiously.

"I should have been neater," Itachi murmured, red eyes scanning the burns on Sakura's neck, "This may scar."

"Sensei," Sakura said, her voice nothing but a hoarse whisper. She licked her lips and tried again, "Sensei, thank you, but – but you need to leave -"

With Orochimaru gone, Itachi seemed to have almost relaxed. It was as though Sasuke, Anko and Kakashi's threatening presences meant nothing to him. Let alone Naruto, with that sinister chakra flowing from him in waves.

After a hurried, quiet discussion with Anko, Kakashi broke away from Naruto and headed slowly over to Itachi and Sakura.

"What brings you here, Itachi?" Kakashi asked smoothly.

"I have no orders to kill you, Kakashi-san," Itachi said indifferently, "Walk away and you will keep your lives."

"What orders do you have?"

"That is not your business."

"Alright," Kakashi said affably, hands in pockets."So none of us are your targets and we aren't interfering in your mission. It stands to reason that we can all leave without a fight."

"No!" Sasuke burst out, "No, I'm going to kill him!"

"Sasuke, a smart shinobi learns to pick his battles," Kakashi said lightly, "You won't gain anything if this turns uglier than it already has. You might put us all in danger."

"He still hasn't said why he's here!"

"I made it clear enough. I asked you once to keep Sakura safe. She almost died in your care." Itachi looked up, meeting Kakashi's eyes. The older man flinched. "That is not going to happen again."

"Of course not," Kakashi said diplomatically, "We were not prepared for Orochimaru to show up, but next time we'll -"

"You misunderstand. Sakura will not be returning to Konoha with you." Itachi said, his tone brooking no argument.

Kakashi's friendly, amicable demeanour slipped for a brief moment. He stared down at Sakura, still kneeling on the ground, and his gaze hardened.

Sakura barely noticed his attention, her eyes fixed on Itachi's back.

What?

What was happening here?

"Itachi?" She whispered.

He didn't look back at her.

Sasuke was rooted to the spot, his eyes wide and afraid.

"Just try and take her," Anko's smile was all teeth, bared and pointed Itachi's way, "Two Sharingan-users, me, and this guy over here might have a thing or two to say about that." She had an arm slung around Naruto's neck. His red eyes were on Itachi.

Raban was sitting in a nearby tree, Sakura noticed. Merle wasn't with him.

"Interfere if you must," Itachi said coolly, "It will not matter."

"This is where I'm forced to disagree, Itachi," Kakashi said pleasantly, "Sakura has been very cagey about what happened to her whilst she was in your care for four years, but we've all drawn our own conclusions and some of us," He indicated Sasuke, who was clearly on the brink of apoplectic rage, "have good reason to believe that it is not in her best interests to repeat the experience."

Itachi shook his head.

"I did not spend so many years training her only to leave her in incompetent hands now."

"Why did you train her?" Kakashi asked, jumping on the opening Itachi had left him.

Itachi shot forwards, kunai inches from Kakashi's throat. To his credit, the older man was only a fraction too slow to block, his own kunai flung up to meet the blow a second later.

"Itachi!" Sakura tried to shout, managing a loud croak.

"Leave," Itachi said slowly, "or die. It is your choice."

Kakashi let out a quiet chuckle, "I'm sorry, but... I believe those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

Then he angled his head, closed one eye and glared straight into Itachi's with the other, "So threaten me all you like. If you try to take Sakura, I will kill you or die trying!"

"A pity." Itachi commented, sounding truly regretful, "I dislike waste."

Sakura couldn't move. She felt unbearable tension welling up inside her. It was like waiting for a blow to connect. Itachi wouldn't do this. He wouldn't kill Kakashi.

She opened her mouth, tears dripping down her face. She strained hard, yet the only noise that issued from her throat was a hoarse rattle.

NO! Itachi, please, no!

She raised her shaking hands up to her throat.

"Focus your chakra and pump it to your hands." Ryouta had said, smiling.

"You aren't trying hard enough." Tsunade had sighed, disappointed.

Sakura breathed. Her chakra flowed. Her hands tingled.

"Itachi – don't – don't you fucking dare, I will kill you!" Sasuke roared.

Naruto bucked and strained against Anko's grip. She grimaced and pushed back.

Sakura touched the sticky, bloody mess of her throat and focused.

Breathe.

"It's all about careful transference of energy." Tsunade had advised her, "A little more and you've got it."

Itachi's eyes began to spiral dizzingly.

Sakura reached beneath the wound and smoothed what she found. Her vocal cords. She imagined reversing the damage, and the process began to unfold beneath her fingertips.

"Well done." She imagined her sensei saying proudly, giving her a rare smile.

Sakura let out a sob, fresh and new.

Naruto broke forward -

Sasuke's face contorted in rage -

Sakura got to her feet and flew towards Itachi and Kakashi.

"NO!" She screamed, reaching out for Itachi's cloak.

He turned slightly and she seized the material and pulled, augmenting the movement with chakra.

Itachi was caught off balance by her unexpected strength, but he twisted, regained his footing and threw her to the ground.

Anko caught Naruto by the neck and planted her knee in his back, toppling him in the middle of his enraged surge forward.

Sakura sprawled on the ground, between Kakashi and Itachi.

"Sensei," She said clearly, staring into his red, furious eyes, "No."

Sasuke appeared next to her and threw his arm out.

A swarm of snakes shot forth, colossal, writhing creatures all snapping and hissing. They wound around Itachi at once, some sinking their fangs into his flesh, others binding his limbs tightly.

Itachi met his brother's eyes, then erupted into a puff of smoke as the snakes constricted around him.

Sasuke tensed, eyes darting around.

Kakashi pulled him back at the last second as Itachi reappeared, fist nearly clipping Sasuke's face.

The snakes vanished and Sasuke leapt backwards.

Kakashi covered him, facing down Itachi.

He formed a seal and the river rose up, forming two dragon heads.

Itachi tilted his head.

In a flash, a different section of the river flew at Kakashi's dragons, the jutsu identical to Kakashi's.

The ground broke beneath Itachi's feet and Kakashi's hand reached for his ankle -

Itachi dodged almost lazily, releasing his jutsu just as Kakashi did, the river crashing back down in both places.

"A sloppy execution of misdirection." Itachi commented.

"Oh?" Kakashi smiled, his eyes crinkling.

The sun glinted off wires surrounding Itachi's feet.

And suddenly Anko was in the fray, breathing out an enormous burst of fire. It spread across the wires, racing towards Itachi.

Sakura felt a hand on her collar and the world lurched around her.

Itachi held her loosely, one arm around her middle.

"Sloppy." He repeated.

Anko let out an annoyed tch sound.

Sprays of fire shot towards them. Itachi's arm tightened around her and he evaded them all with ease.

Shuriken flew at them, partially-concealed by the flames.

Itachi threw a barrage of his own so quickly Sakura's eyes could not follow what happened, she could only hear the sound of metal clashing against metal.

And then Sasuke was right before them, eyes blazing with righteous fury.

Sakura kicked out at Sasuke on instinct. He blocked the kick and threw a investigative punch, his eyes searching her own. She looked away and dodged the punch.

The fight was short and half-hearted. Sakura got the feeling Itachi was allowing it to happen.

"Sasuke, I'm fine. None of you need to fight, so stop." Sakura said firmly, shoving Sasuke away, a little rougher than before.

"I told you I would kill him," Sasuke said angrily, "Get out of the way. This is something I have to do!"

"I would have died for your freedom!" Sakura said sharply, her voice ringing out.

Sasuke flinched, his eyes dropping to the marks on her neck.

"Orochimaru slit my throat because I refused to be leverage against you. I chose that! Listen to me now – you can't kill Itachi. It's stupid to even try. If you, if all of you," She looked up, glaring at Sasuke, Kakashi and Anko, "are fighting to stop Itachi from taking me, stop right now. I don't want any of you to get hurt because of me. So stop."

"You expect us to just let him take you?!" Sasuke snapped incredulously.

"No, but -"

Itachi's hand wrapped around her mouth.

Sasuke shot forward, his passage immediately barred by a clone of Itachi.

Itachi gently pulled her head backwards, her neck straining. His mouth touched her ear.

"You implicate yourself, Sakura," He breathed, barely audible, "You expect to bargain with me regarding your right to return to Konoha, but if I were to capitulate easily to your demands, you would make our relationship clear. You would be mistrusted by Konoha even more so than now."

His other hand slowly caressed her stomach, an implicitly sexual move. Sasuke's hackles raised.

To the others, it looked as though he was whispering in her ear whilst stroking her creepily. He didn't want her to force him into an impasse in front of them, he wanted to look like an abusive mentor attempting to take back his student.

Sakura shook in anger. The hand against her mouth was bad enough, but did he have to add a sexual edge to this farce? Was he mocking her feelings for him?

"You will ask me to allow you to stay. I cannot." Itachi whispered.

A squawk of outrage sounded above them as Merle flew at Itachi's face. He released Sakura and dodged the crow.

Merle shouted something, her voice faint in the wind.

Itachi moved to pull Sakura back, but she retreated, glaring daggers at him.

Before she could blink, Itachi seized her wrists and yanked her towards him. She collided with his chest.

"I have no choice." He murmured.

She replied, her voice low and ragged, "You could trust me to make my own decisions."

"If you cease to be of use to me, Sakura, I will kill you." Itachi said coldly, his voice loud enough for the others to hear.

Despite knowing Itachi was bluffing, Sakura couldn't help but flinch. He said it so easily... without any reservation or hesitation...

Anko pulled the kunai out of Naruto's shoulder. The sudden burst of pain made him howl and snap at her.

Itachi glanced at him.

Sakura punched Itachi in the face.

For his threat, feigned or otherwise, and for stubbornly trying to rule her life even at the expense of others.

He must have seen it coming the second she had decided to do it, and yet he had allowed it.

His head snapped back under the force of her blow.

Sakura shuddered under the weight of the bloodlust she sensed rolling towards her. That wasn't... that couldn't be Itachi...

A red-black blur knocked her to the ground.

Sakura gasped as a burning, growling mass of malevolent chakra pinned her down. She could see claws digging into her arms, but the pain was nothing.

The head of the creature was pointed towards Itachi and it was growling loudly in his direction.

Two snakes wound their way around the creature's middle, gently lifting it into the air. Its jaws snapped angrily, its nails ripping through the snakes. It landed on Sakura, face close enough now its breath seared her skin.

Sasuke cursed, his snakes disappearing. His eyes were on Itachi even now.

The older man calmly knelt down next to her head and met the creature's eyes.

"No! Naruto!" Sasuke yelled.

Itachi's clone blocked his way once more.

Naruto?

After a moment, the bloodlust faded and Itachi moved back.

Sakura wriggled out from under Naruto, who was changing back to normal rapidly. She could see his blue eyes blinking confusedly.

He looked up and noticed Itachi. His face slackened in shock.

"What?" He rubbed his face, "What's going on?"

"What did you do?" Sasuke stared at his brother.

Itachi silently took Sakura's hand and gently pulled her closer to him.

"No! You aren't leaving, with or without her!" Sasuke snarled, "You're gonna tell me why you took her in the first place and – and why you killed our clan!"

"You know why," Itachi said slowly, "To test my strength."

"Why take Sakura, then?!"

"I found a young girl who seemed to be attached to you. I believed she might one day be important to you, so I trained her to keep her alive. Then, if you ever showed your face to me whilst lacking hatred, weak, I would have a tool to break in front of you. In the meantime, I used her as I saw fit."

Sasuke lunged for him and this time, no one impeded him.

Itachi effortlessly dodged his fist and slammed his knee into his chin. Sasuke cried out, blood spewing from his mouth.

Sakura made an aborted move to intervene, cut off when Naruto snarled and joined the fight.

Neither of them could lay a hand on Itachi.

Naruto landed painfully on his side after Itachi kicked him in the chest. Sasuke stepped back and blew fire in Itachi's face. Itachi instantly copied the jutsu and blocked the fire with his own.

Kakashi and Anko circled, watching for openings.

Sakura couldn't catch her breath. She felt winded, broken open.

Blood from his last fight with Orochimaru still coated Sasuke's mouth and chin, dried and flaking now. Fresh blood dribbled from his lips.

"This is all you have to show for your years of training?" Itachi taunted, sinking his fist into Sasuke's stomach, "If I believe you are too weak, you know who will pay for it..."

Sasuke made an incoherent noise of rage and tried to tackle Itachi.

Sakura was focusing on breathing in and out. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she was suffering from losing too much blood. Her heart was violently pounding.

Itachi knocked Sasuke down in front of her and froze as he met her eyes accidentally.

Sakura slowly, deliberately, stood over Sasuke's fallen form and stared up at his brother defiantly.

Itachi lowered his fists.

She swayed on her feet, hands out for balance and to indicate that no, she was not going to tolerate Itachi hurting his little brother.

"Go home, Itachi," She panted, "Y-you might be able t-to fight me, but I know... I won't fight you. S-so I won't defend myself. I'll j-just stand here and t-take it."

Kakashi and Anko closed in on them, both looking wary.

Sakura was on the ground before she knew it.

She pushed herself back onto her feet with some difficulty.

"This isn't real." Itachi said quietly.

There was nothing but darkness spreading out for miles all around them.

"Genjutsu?" Sakura asked.

Itachi nodded.

"There are so many things I want to tell you," He said, sounding tortured, "but I can't. I shouldn't even be using this technique to talk to you... Three times in one day is more than my limit. I will suffer for this."

"Why hurt Sasuke?" Sakura asked, her voice very small and quiet.

"I can't tell you."

"Do you not love him?"

"I can't tell you."

"What can you tell me?" Sakura snapped, frustrated.

"I love you." Itachi said with utter sincerity.

Tears pricked Sakura's eyes.

"You can tell me that," Sakura laughed, wiping her eyes, "I don't understand you."

"I know."

"I didn't know you... well I didn't know you felt that way. I mean I guessed, with the face-touching and – and -" Sakura couldn't quite look him in the eyes.

He took her hands gently and laid a kiss upon her tear-stained cheek.

"I am sorry for what I had to do today. I wish I could have spared you the sight of me like that. I needed to save you and I prized that above all else."

"You have to leave me behind, Itachi," Sakura said quietly, everything inside her rebelling at the decision, "I abandoned them all once. I can't do it again."

"And yet, you abandon me." Itachi sighed, but he was smiling, "I hope you know the consequences of this choice."

"If you leave me behind after I asked you to, it will look as though we are allied in some way. Konoha will be suspicious of me. I understand."

"If they hurt you at all, you will send me a message." Itachi ordered, stroking her hair, "And I will take you back and that will be the end of it."

Sakura nodded.

"I don't want to undo the command I gave you not to feel pain," Itachi said, sounding a little sad and regretful, "It's hardly something I wish for you to feel."

"If it helps, I still feel it, but it just doesn't register."

Itachi's smile was wry, "That does not help."

His forehead touched hers and he wrapped his arms around her.

"You are going to wake up now." He said quietly.

And she did, tears in her eyes, the warmth of his touch still in her skin.


	15. It is so hard to leave - until you leave

It was only supposed to be a C-rank mission.

Sakura sat with only her thoughts for company. The room they had left her in was grey, purposefully nondescript. There was nothing to distract or entertain the eye. It was clear it had been designed with this in mind.

She wondered how many other people had been left to stew in this room before her.

Tsunade and the others presumably assumed she was wrestling with guilt or grief after the encounter with Itachi.

She was not.

Itachi had chosen to appear cruel towards her, and yet he had appeared out of nowhere the moment she had got hurt and immediately saved her life. He had tried to speak dismissively towards her, but when she forced the issue, he refused to hurt her.

It was obvious that there were too many discrepancies for their story to hold up. She could not press the abusive kidnapper and frightened victim angle anymore.

The moment Anko had reported Orochimaru and Itachi's appearance, the entire team had been separated, Sasuke and Naruto taken to hospital, Anko, Kakashi and Sakura to different interrogation rooms. It wasn't as though the teachers were under suspicion, Sakura thought to herself. They were surely there to verify her story. Considering the serious nature of the issue, she thought it likely that Inoichi would be brought in to glean every detail. Not to mention every one of them was biased in some way – Kakashi for her, Anko thanks to her previous association with Orochimaru and Sakura's unclear relationship with Itachi.

A harried-looking woman had been brought in to see to Sakura's throat, a mess of half-healed burns and blood. She had spent a few seconds on her and then immediately left, presumably to see to someone else. The raw-looking wound had been reduced to a shiny, pink scar that ran jaggedly across her neck. Sakura could only see it in the distorted reflection of the metal table she was sat at. It looked bad.

If she had been like Naruto and Sasuke, taken to the main hospital, someone there would have worked hard to remove all traces of the wound. She imagined Ryouta would have been the one to do it. Her throat stung viciously.

Besides being immediately taken in for questioning, Sakura felt the whole mission had gone rather well. Two chuunin, one genin and two jounin versus two missing nin, and no one had died or been seriously injured (her one injuries excluded). However, had Itachi posed a real threat, things would have gone very differently. There was no way the Konoha authorities were going to let this slide without a full inquiry.

As far as Sakura knew – as much as Itachi had been willing to explain – whenever a mind-altering jutsu was used on her brain, any compromising memories or thoughts she possessed in relation to Akatsuki would be wiped, as though they had never been present. Konan had made sure of that. The first time Inoichi had read her mind, he had gleaned nothing useful, or at least nothing worth questioning Sakura over. Sakura wondered how her mind would reflect this particular incident.

So. If not a victim, then what? There was no evidence of long or short term physical abuse. Sakura knew she didn't quite fit the usual kidnap victim standard. And Itachi's own actions were strange and conflicting, it would probably be impossible to pin down a motive for what he had done to her.

There was no way anyone could miss the fact that the moment Sakura's life was threatened, Itachi showed up out of nowhere. He then went on to treat her wound and scare off her attacker. He also did not kill anyone and backed down when she pushed him.

He cared about her. And now everyone knew it.

Sakura massaged the growing ache in her temples with her fingertips.

What a mess.

Her first mission in years was a total bust. Her first attempt to regain the trust of her friends had the complete opposite effect. Her first proper fight without Itachi ended with him saving her life and blowing her cover as a helpless victim.

Now she was complicit in something. Whatever it was Itachi did – what they thought he did.

Sakura was no angel. She had ties to an organisation that appeared to be seriously shady at best. But Itachi murdered his entire family, for unknown reasons. His betrayal had apparently come out of nowhere. Just like hers. Just another thing they would not overlook. Itachi must have ran away from Konoha after he killed the Uchihas, becoming a missing nin in the process. Either that, or he had done worse things and been hunted ever since.

Akatsuki. What was Akatsuki?

She had gathered a certain amount of knowledge over the years, hoarding every fact she learnt, overheard or deduced, and the picture it all painted was not pretty.

There were a certain amount of 'core' members, though she had never learnt exactly how many that was, and they all wore the same cloak as Itachi. Konan appeared to be above him in rank, but the rest of the members spoke casually to Itachi.

Except one.

The only one Itachi had definitely not wanted Sakura to meet.

That had been a strange meeting, indeed.

There was another individual she had never met at all, though everyone spoke of them constantly. She didn't even know their gender, as they were referred to as 'Leader-sama' at all times. It seemed a logical leap to decide this person was in charge of the whole group.

Itachi had already proven to be capable of acts of violence and personal betrayal despite his apparent morality, so Sakura did not doubt that whatever this 'Leader' had him do was unpleasant. If even a seasoned killer, a kin-slayer, ended up looking haggard and weary after a mission, it stood to reason that these missions involved terrible things.

Itachi had not wanted Sakura to be part of Akatsuki. That had been obvious from the start. Sakura had been curious about her sensei's mysterious employers, but had no wish to join them. Konan had made the choice for her. She was not vital to them, she never went on missions or carried out assassinations – or high-risk burglary or acts of war, or whatever it was that they did – and no one ever trusted her with more than a name.

Kisame was obviously a friend to her, but he never spoke of Akatsuki beyond his attempts to persuade Itachi to allow Sakura to properly join.

They had met Sasori twice, both times whilst he was inside his biggest puppet. It was an ugly, hulking sort of puppet, its looks at odds with his soft, polite voice. He had said no more than three words to her. Itachi told her he was a master puppeteer who hailed from Suna and that he was obsessed with the preservation of human life. Overall, he seemed to be rather creepy.

Kakuzu they had met only in passing, when they were all in a hurry. He had stopped to greet Itachi, gave Sakura a cursory glance, then left. He hadn't exactly left much of an impression, save for his... odd appearance. Itachi had simply mentioned that he was good with money, and left it at that. Sakura decided he was probably either a gambler, a hustler, a bailiff or in charge of Akatsuki's finances. She didn't have enough to go on to decide which.

Sakura had met Konan many times. She was as softly-spoken as Sasori and very articulate. She often made origami art, occasionally gifting Sakura with a few small pieces. She never stayed long, never drifted into casual talk and always stuck to business. She and Itachi spoke in coded phrases with each other whilst in Sakura's presence. Sakura had found it so annoying that she always mimicked them after Konan left. "The hummingbird flies west to gain honey," She would say instead of, "Could you pass the sugar?" Itachi always seemed to know what she meant anyway. He spoke quite highly of Konan, but Sakura had a gut feeling that he didn't trust her.

Deidara...

Deidara was a completely different story.

xxxxxxxx

"Are you cold?" Itachi asked.

"N-no, not all." Sakura shrugged off his concern, quickly changing the subject, "So, this place is new. How come we haven't been here before?"

"Well, it's hardly ideal." Itachi gave her a sharp look, clearly deducing exactly how cold she was and why she was pretending otherwise with that one glance, "Akatsuki use this building quite often for storage. They leave extra equipment and supplies here for anyone who needs it."

"Charitable." Sakura commented.

"Anyone in Akatsuki who needs it." Itachi elaborated.

"That makes more sense. Are we stopping here tonight?"

Itachi paused. "I was not planning to. Unless, you don't want to walk to the nearest hotel in this weather?"

The wind chose that moment to surge violently, a thin, howling noise from outside. There was a mild snowstorm brewing.

"No, it's fine." Sakura said, trying to stop her teeth chattering in the cold. "It's j-just snow."

"Why are you pushing yourself?" Itachi was definitely displeased, his mouth twisting just a little into a scowl, "We are not in a hurry. We have nowhere to be and if necessary, we can bunk here and stay until the storm subsides. There is no issue here."

"I know there isn't, because there's a hotel within walking distance. We can grab supplies and go there straightaway."

"We are staying here for the night." Itachi said, "And I want you to tell me before tomorrow morning why exactly you are pretending to be invincible."

"I'm not! ...Whatever. It doesn't matter."

"Before tomorrow morning. I don't want any lies, either. If something's wrong, you need to tell me."

Itachi wrapped his cloak around her

Sakura felt the flare of chakra just as he did, though her reaction was somewhat different. She merely cast the door a curious look. He wiped all expression from his face and strode forward purposefully.

He flared his chakra just as he hauled the sliding door open. Sakura heard a muffled curse and then someone wrapped in an Akatsuki cloak tripped inside.

"No Sasori today?" Itachi asked the cloaked stranger, pulling the door shut behind him.

The stranger yanked the cloak out of his face, revealing pretty, effeminate looks and long, blond hair, though the effect was somewhat marred by the massive scowl he was wearing.

"Don't fucking talk to me." The man growled, brushing his fringe across what looked like a mechanical eye. Sakura peered at him with great interest. He seemed to notice her then, stopping still and casting an automatic glance at Itachi, "Who's this then, yeah?"

"She's clean." Itachi replied.

"I kinda figured, considering we're in an Akatsuki outpost and there's no way the great prodigal would ever risk the integrity of the organisation." The man sneered, stressing the last few words as though he had heard them many times before. He turned to Sakura, "Got a name?"

Sakura looked to Itachi, unsure.

"This is Sakura," He said calmly, "She's an independent member."

"No such thing." The man snorted. "You forced me in, remember?"

"We needed you. She's just a runner. Not privy to any information, so she's free to come and go as she pleases."

"Just a runner." The man's bright blue eye swept over Sakura. He had the same shrewd gaze as Itachi. "So, Sakura. Who's your coordinator? Or your supplier? What area are you based in? Why are you in this outpost, yeah?"

Sakura blinked, blind-sided by all the questions.

"I thought you did not want to talk." Itachi said slowly, looking more stoic than ever, which Sakura knew meant he was actively repressing emotion.

"You've got some kid on Akatsuki turf, and she's obviously not meant to be here, yeah. So I wanna know what you're up to."

"You have never been so diligent with Akatsuki's security before. And Sakura has full permission from Konan to allow her onto all such facilities. You may ask her, if you doubt me."

"Runners don't talk to Konan."

"I spoke on her behalf."

"Does Kisame know about your bit on the side? Does he have to leave your hotel room when she - "

Itachi did nothing except step forward. And yet, the man blanched and stopped talking straightaway.

"I am not involved with Sakura." He said, very quietly.

"She's wrapped in your fucking cloak, yeah?"

"I was cold." Sakura spoke up for the first time. The two men stared at her, "I was cold and he offered me his cloak. He's telling the truth. I'm a low-ranking member and I've never met Leader-sama, but I have a few of the core members. I came here for supplies, the same as you."

She bowed, "My name is Sakura, as you know. It's nice to meet another core member. It does not happen very often."

After a moment's silence, the man replied, his tone no less hostile despite the concession of courtesy, "Deidara. You've met Sasori-no-danna? He mentioned Itachi had scored himself an apprentice. Want some advice? Steer clear of this one. I'm gonna kill him some day." He said this very casually, as though merely stating a fact.

"Well, could you make it later rather than sooner?" Sakura asked, "I still have a lot to learn from him."

"First chance I get." Deidara gave Itachi a hard glare, "It won't be as easy as last time. I made sure of it."

"I have no reason to accept any challenge you issue, Deidara. The fight you want will never happen."

Deidara just smirked.

He slammed the door behind him after he grabbed his supplies, the sliding door wobbling with the impact.

"He was pretty." Sakura said.

"Anyone but him, please." Itachi replied.

"Kisame?"

"Anyone but Deidara, Kisame or anyone else you know that has once threatened to kill me."

"Kisame threatened to kill you?"

"He has had a few rough days over the years."

"Could Deidara actually kill you?"

Itachi seemed to consider it, "Not... not right now, he couldn't. Perhaps later in life."

"It's still a bit bizarre that Akatsuki has team members threatening to murder each other."

"We aren't very nice people. I suppose in-fighting is expected."

"You're a higher class of criminal, though. You should be above all that."

Itachi pulled his cloak off her and gave a slight smile when she immediately began to shiver again, belatedly proving him right.

xxxxxxxx

She had only met Deidara the once, but the memory of him stayed with her. She rarely met anyone who even knew who Itachi was, let alone someone who despised him and wanted him dead. She didn't dwell on the reasons why Deidara was so hostile to Itachi, figuring that Deidara had appeared to be unbalanced, and he was a member of Akatsuki – it stood to reason that he didn't need much reason to become homicidal.

You forced me in, remember?

Sakura shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

Itachi had not wanted her anywhere near Akatsuki, and yet Deidara claimed he had forcibly recruited him…

Nothing about her sensei made sense. She had so little information about him to start with, and half of it contradicted the other.

A floorboard creaked outside the door. She had to stop herself from looking up sharply.

"This is the second time I've been called to see you," Morino Ibiki said gruffly as he entered the room, "I don't want to see you here again."

He sat down opposite her, staring into her eyes. He seemed to be awaiting a response.

What could she say? She had been struggling not to appear suspicious, and yet events had conspired to show her as such anyway.

She nodded, hoping that would be enough.

Ibiki began his interrogation.

He started out softly enough.

We talked about the missing nin last time, didn't we?

It's alright, she replied. You can say his name.

It's not just him this time, is it? A few others came too.

They didn't show up all at once.

No? It wasn't a planned meeting, do you think?

The mission was a trap. Orochimaru came for Sasuke. I don't know why Sasuke's brother was there.

Last time we talked, you called him 'sensei,' and Itachi.

You set a precedent. I thought referring to him by name was too informal.

What did you used to call him when you were alone?

…..

It's alright. You can tell me.

Itachi.

And what did he call you?

… my name.

Alright. When did Itachi arrive?

After Orochimaru… after he cut my throat.

How much time after, approximately?

I don't know. I was in a lot of pain, and then suddenly Itachi was there.

What was his first action, when he arrived? What did he say?

I don't know.

Well, Anko says differently.

Anko wasn't bleeding out at the time.

I'm going to need you to cooperate, Sakura.

I don't know. He was close to me and then my throat burned. He… I guess he cauterised the wound.

It sounds like he saved your life. Why would he do that?

… I don't know.

xxxxxxxx

After Ibiki's interrogation finished, he left Sakura alone in that room for a long time.

She couldn't seem to stop shaking.

Ibiki had been shouting in her face by the end of the session. He had coaxed little pieces of information out of her in a gentle, concerned voice, then if he felt she wasn't cooperating properly, he would smack the table or suddenly snap at her.

She had no idea how long the interrogation had been, but her nerves were frayed and every inch of her was covered in a cold sweat.

She sat bolt upright, her face tight with the strain of keeping up a brave face.

There was no telling when someone would enter the room and she would be damned before she let them see how they had gotten to her.

She sat there stiffly for an uncomfortably long stretch of time.

Every second that ticked by, she was waiting for the door to bang open, Ibiki or Inoichi or worse, some stranger with an assortment of sharp tools to come in.

But no one came.

Her muscles ached. The back of her neck itched.

Still, she refused to relax, to slump back in her chair and sigh. Or worse, to burst into tears and ask for her mother.

She had a feeling that the moment she showed weakness of any kind, Ibiki would come back in and crush that last of her resolve to keep up the masquerade.

What still qualified as a masquerade, anyway, since Itachi had left her in this situation alone.

I love you.

Stupid thing to say, stupid time to say it.

Like she wanted to hear that whilst still trapped within the confines of his torturous jutsu? It had left her mind weak and horribly paranoid. It was like constantly hearing whispers just behind you. She felt like he was inside her mind, taking up space in a very literal way.

I love you.

Each time she thought about what he'd said, she'd reply something new.

No you don't.

How can I believe anything you say?

I don't even know who you are.

Sakura traced the jagged scars on her neck and shivered.

His presence in her mind was like having the Akatsuki cloak draped around her again.

I love you.

I love you too.


End file.
